Phulbani/Tumudibandha: Tribals in Gumudimaha under Parampanga panchayat and Baliguda block of Kandhamal district have lost all hope for survival after security forces killed five of their fellow villagers for no reason.
Fear of getting killed by the security forces has deterred them from venturing into forest to collect minor forest produce. This was the sum of the complaints made by a villager Petranga Mallik before a three-member team of BJP parliamentary party during its visit to Gumudimaha Saturday
Petranga is the husband of Blimbuli Mallik, who was killed by security forces July 8.
The BJP team led by party’s national vice-president Binaya Sahasrabudde, secretaries Rambichar Netam and Jyoti Dhrube accompanied by state party leaders arrived conducted an enquiry at the village.
They enquired from the villagers about the incident and the circumstances that led to it. The team members also visited the site where the auto-rickshaw got stuck in mud and the place where the villagers were gunned down. They held the state government responsible for the incident and termed it an act of ‘ineptitude’ of the former. The team claimed the tribals are being taken for a ride as jawans have violated the rules to be observed during combing operations. As a result, five innocent tribals were killed, the team said.
A report will be prepared on their visit and it will be submitted to the Prime Minister and party president Amit Shah, Sahasrabudde said. PNN