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Social activists, Left parties accuse police of torturing villagers

BHUBANESWAR: Social activists and several Left parties on Tuesday moved State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) seeking its intervention for providing succour to villagers who were reportedly besieged by police force and anti-social elements in Kalinganagar area.

Addressing a press conference, they apprehended that lives of leaders spearheading anti-displacement movement in Kalinganagar industrial complex were in danger as police were increasingly branding them as Left wing extremists and preparing to “eliminate” them. These leaders alleged that police was conspiring to stage false encounter on few protestors.

“Villagers have been inhumanely targeted by police forces and Tata Group-backed goons in Kalinganagar where situation was very critical. Injured persons with pellet-injuries had no option to get treated, but to writhe in pains in their villages,” said Prafulla Samantra of Lok Shakti Abhijan.

He charged that “repression” by police forces on villagers opposing construction of common corridor road touched a new low when household articles and cooked and non-cooked food of innocent villagers were set on fire recently.

“The present Jajpur district superintendent of police is heavily bribed by company to mobilise police forces against villagers.

Rights activists and media personnel have not been allowed to enter the area which is under control of anti-social elements,” alleged Mr. Samantra.

Similarly, Ramakrushna Panda of Communist Party of India said police forces went out of way to exhibit their favouritisms for a private company. “On March 30 last, police claimed to have destroyed 300 bows and arrows at Baligotha. It is a blatant lie. Had there been any seizure of weapon, the process of seizure would have been maintained. The claims are attempt to show people fighting for their existence in bad light,” Mr. Panda said.

Sibaram of CPI (ML), Radhakant Sethi CPI (ML) Liberation and Bhalachandra of CPI (ML) New Democracy condemned the reported police excesses unequivocally. They demanded that the SP of Jajpur district should be immediately suspended and investigation should be ordered on his amassing of huge properties.

They also alleged that Prafulla Ghadai, State Finance Minister, had supplied a force of anti-social elements to take control over the situation.

These social activists on Friday announced that they would enter Kalinganagar with relief material for stranded villagers. If they were not allowed to proceed further, they would sit on a dharna.

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