Post News Network
Bhubaneswar, July 12: The state government Tuesday named additional director general of state human rights protection cell Mahendra Pratap to head the Special Investigation Team (SIT) constituted to probe the July 8 Kandhamal firing incident that had claimed the lives of five innocent civilians.
“The SIT has begun its investigation,” Director General of Police (DGP) KB Singh told reporters, adding, “HRPC ADG will supervise the probe.”
Sources said two senior police officials – director, intelligence Sunil Roy and IG, operations, Soumendra Priyadarshi – part of the probe team, landed in Kandhamal and held discussions with IG, southern range, Amitabh Thakur and superintendent of police Pinak Mishra.
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had ordered an SIT probe into killing of the five civilians including a girl child during an anti-Maoist operation by the police inside Malapanga forest near Kurtamgarh in Kandhamal district last Friday.
Stating that the SIT will be monitered and supervised by an officer of the rank of additional director general, the Chief Minister had said, “If anyone is found of negligent conduct after the probe, we shall take stringent action.”