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Bhubaneswar/ Phulbani, July 14: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) Thursday expressed concern over the death of five tribals during anti-Maoist operations in Kandhamal and sought a report from the Union home ministry and the state government.
“We have sought reports from the Union home ministry and also state government. They have been asked to submit the report within two weeks,” NHRC secretary general Satya Narayan Mohanty said.
Five villagers, including three women and a child were reportedly killed in an exchange of fire between police and Maoists at Malapanga forest in Kurtamagarh of the district on evening of July 8.
Sources meanwhile said a three-member delegation of the BJP parliamentary party led by its vice-president, Vinay Sahasrabuddhe would visit Kandhamal district Friday. The team comprising BJP national secretaries Jyoti Dhurve and Ramvichar Nitam would also met the family members of the deceased, they said.
A delegation of the Congress legislature party (CLP) is also scheduled to visit Kandhamal district Friday to make an on-the-spot assessment of the killings of the five tribals.
The Congress team will be led by Leader of Opposition Narasingh Mishra and will include party whip in the Assembly Tara Prasad Bahinipati.
Earlier, a 10-member fact-finding team led by BJP state unit president Basant Panda and a Congress team headed by state president Prasad Harichandan have visited the spot and met the family members of the victims.
Meanwhile, district Pana Samaj president Anama Nayak, leaders Sunasir Behera, Umacharan Digal, Jaban Nayak, former PCC president Jaydev Jena met National Commission for Scheduled Caste (NCSC) chairman PL Poonia during his visit to Kandhamal Thursday and demanded `20 lakh compensation for the families of the deceased and `5 lakh for the injured.
District collector Raghujee, SP Pinak Mishra, Baliguda sub-collector Suranjan Pradhan, DIG Amitav Thakur, G Udayagiri MLA Jacob Pradhan were present during Poonia’s visit.
