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Gasama villagers end dharna

BERHAMPUR: The villagers of Gasama ended their six-day-long dharna in front of the office of the Kandhamal district Collector at Phulbani on Monday.

They started their dharna on April 31, protesting against alleged police atrocities in the name of anti-naxal combing operations. On Monday, they returned back to their village with promises from the Kandhamal district Collector Manish Verma that an administrative team would visit the area to investigate into the allegations.

The Gasama village and the jungle near Ganjam-Kandhamal district border had hogged the headlines following the naxal attacks in Nayagarh district on February 15.

Naxals had used this region as their escape route. Naxals had also entered into an exchange of fire with the policemen near the Gasama village. Intense combing operation in the area by the CRPF, Grey Hound, Orissa State Armed Police had led to hugeaul of arms and ammunition looted by naxals from Nayagarh. But no naxal or their dead bodies could be located in the area. However, the police continued combing operation in Gasama jungle with special watch on the Gasama village.

On April 17, a police team led by Kandhamal Superintendent of Police (SP), N.K. Kanodia raided the Gasama village and arrested five persons for their alleged connections with the naxal. Two country guns, batteries and wires used for landmine explosions were seized from them. But the villagers of Gasama alleged that the arrested persons were innocent. They also alleged that the CRPF personnel were ransacking their houses during combing operations.

With the demand for release of arrested persons and end of alleged atrocities by policemen in the area, the villagers of Gasama started their dharna in front of the Collector’s office at Phulbani. The tribal organisation ‘Kui Samaj’ had also extended its support to these agitating villagers. The SP of Kandhamal stated that there were proofs against the arrested persons and law would take its own course.

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