What Led to the Violence in Malkangiri? BJD Forms Fact-Finding Team
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- The formation of a fact-finding team by BJD highlights the urgency of the situation.
- The violence was sparked by a tragic murder linked to land disputes.
- Significant unrest has led to the destruction of numerous homes.
- Police forces have been deployed to prevent further violence.
- Community meetings are being held to restore normalcy.
Bhubaneswar, Dec 11 (NationPress) In response to the directives from BJD President Naveen Patnaik, the party announced the formation of a seven-member fact-finding team on Thursday to evaluate the ongoing situation in Malkangiri district, which has witnessed extensive violence following the discovery of a 51-year-old tribal woman's body.
The team includes Manas Madkami as the coordinator, along with Manohar Randhari, MLA, Ramesh Majhi, former Minister, Pradeep Majhi, former MP, Rabi Nanda, former Minister, Ishwar Panigrahi, and Laxmipriya Nayak, MLA candidate from Chitrakonda. They are tasked with visiting the affected regions, assessing the situation on the ground, and preparing a comprehensive report for the Party President.
The Biju Janata Dal has expressed profound concern regarding the incidents of violence and has urged the local administration to implement swift measures to restore peace, safeguard the affected families, and ensure that the culprits face justice, as stated in a press release.
Reports indicate that the murder of a tribal widow, Lake Padiami, allegedly linked to a land dispute, led to the shocking discovery of her headless body in a local river four days later. This tragedy incited significant unrest among the tribal populations of Rakhalguda and neighboring villages over the weekend.
The enraged villagers set ablaze over 50 homes and vandalized more than 160 houses in the MV-26 village area.
Numerous Bengali-speaking families, who immigrated from Bangladesh years ago, have fled their residences in MV-26, seeking refuge in surrounding villages to escape the escalating violence.
In light of the volatile circumstances, multiple platoons of the Central Armed Police Force and the Odisha Police Force have been deployed to prevent any further escalation.
The district administration has organized meetings between both communities to discuss the situation and work towards restoring normalcy.