Raval, who was here to meet Narmada Development Minister Jaynarayan Vyas on Wednesday, told reporters that this was the eighth time they had been attacked by NBA activists. Complaints lodged with the local police fell on deaf ears, he said.

Raval, who is a Deputy Executive Engineer in the Narmada Project Rehabilitation Co-ordination Committee, said that on March 21, his jeep was surrounded by local NBA activists who asked the driver to identify the officials from Gujarat. When they found out that Raval was from Gujarat, they called him a ``dalal'' (broker) for Narmada and beat him up after stripping him.

His colleagues working as extension officers were also roughed up and their clothes torn.

However, Narmada Bachao Andolan activist Aloke Agrawal has claimed that the officials from Gujarat had come to create trouble so that they could use this against the NBA in the case pending in the Supreme Court.

When contacted over telephone, Aloke said that some three or four people, accompanied by a local named Hiralal, came to Barda village, about 20 km from Badwani, on March 21. When a villager wanted to know their identity, Hiralal caught hold of the collar of the questioner and thrashed him for being impertinent. This led to some trouble. But, according to Aloke, another villager put the visitors in the jeep and saw to it that they left.

A report against the misbehaviour of the visitors was lodged by the local people at Anjar police station on March 21 itself, the NBA activist said. He described it as a deliberate attempt to malign the NBA.

Earlier, Raval told reporters that around 90 families rehabilitated in the area were now living in terror following threats from the NBA.

``I am afraid if I go back and resume work, they will kill me. They are already threatening my family on phone...but I will go back on March 30 as I have assured the local oustees that I will be back with them soon,'' Raval said.

He alleged that there were 87 rehabilitation sites which remained unused because of the NBA's terror tactics while the local police was totally biased in favour of NBA.

Raval and his team also met Justice P D Desai who is overseeing rehabilitation work in Gujarat. They said Justice Desai had promised them help though it was not within his jurisdiction. The Supreme Court, Raval said, had been apprised of the previous attacks.

Narmada Development Minister Jaynarayan Vyas said he would take up the matter with Madhya Pradesh Chief Secretary to ensure safety of these officials and the rehabilitated oustees.

Vyas said the matter would also be taken up at a chief ministerial level and the Narmada Control Authority would be apprised of large-scale tree-felling in certain areas of Madhya Pradesh which would be harmful for the dam in the long run. The minister said NCA would be urged to ask MP to stop this forthwith.

On his part, Sardar Sarovar Narmada Nigam Ltd Chairman Bhupendrasinh Chudasma has said he will approach the Badwani DSP and Collector.