Tension gripped Bolangir Sadar Police Station on Monday as hundreds of villagers from Kusmel panchayat staged a protest, accusing the police of negligence in an earlier electricity wire theft case. The residents alleged that the accused were initially detained but later released without strict action, fueling widespread anger.

The situation escalated when the Kusmel sarpanch, Kaustav Sahu, was brought to the police station, prompting protesters to gherao both the Sadar police station and the Bolangir SP office while blocking the Bolangir–Patnagarh main road, disrupting traffic. Heavy police deployment was deployed, and senior officials held discussions with the crowd to defuse tensions and restore normalcy. No official comments have been received from the local police.

The protest echoed similar demonstrations in Odisha, such as the December 2025 gherao in Pattamundai, where villagers blocked roads demanding action following the death of a local school teacher, highlighting public frustration over perceived delays and inaction by authorities.