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Protest planned against killing of tribal

BERHAMPUR: Resentment is brewing in Gajapati district over the killing of a tribal claimed to be innocent during anti-naxal operation of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel on Friday night.

The victim of the bullets of CRPF personnel was Dasarathi Raita (36). Although the police personnel claim that they had resorted to firing to retaliate the gun fire of some suspicious persons, the tribals of R.Udaygiri block are not swallowing the police version. The tribals of R.Udaygiri block have decided to hold a meeting on Dec. 27 at the block headquarter against this alleged killing by the CRPF personnel. On Dec 26, the tribal organization Lok Sangram Manch (LSM) would hold a similar demonstration at Paralakhemundi in front of the office of the Gajapati district Collector.

The major demands of these demonstrations would be compensation of at least Rs. 5 lakhs to the family of the deceased, removal of CRPF personnel from R.Udaygiri area and legal action against the police personnel involved in the killing of Dasarathi.

A fact-finding team comprising Praful Samantra, convener of Lokshakti Abhiyan, Bhala Chandra Sarangi, spokesperson of Orissa unit of CPI-ML (New Democracy) and Sibaram, keader of CPI-ML (Ramchandra group) went to the village of Dasarathi to enquire about his origin and activities.

According to them Dasarathi was a poor share cropper who was on his way to his field on Friday night when he came face to face with CRPF personnel near Abarsingh village.

He ran out of panic and CRPF personnel without any warning fired at him. According to them the seizure of country gun from his possession seemed to be false. Dasarathi happened to be the only bread earner of his family. He was sustaining his widowed mother, sister, wife and five children.

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