Coming under pressure from the Opposition parties and human rights activists over the killing of five innocent people during an anti-Maoist operation in Kandhamal district, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik announced on Monday that a Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the State Human Rights Protection Cell will investigate the incident.
Mr. Patnaik’s ordered the SIT probe after a bandh by the Opposition Congress and the BJP in Kandhamal in protest against the killing of innocent people evoked spontaneous response during the day.
Passenger buses remained off the roads across Kandhamal, and shops and business establishments remained closed as activists of the Congress and the BJP took out processions at several places to enforce the bandh. The bandh, however, passed off peacefully amid tight security arrangements by the police.
A large number of security personnel were deployed to prevent any untoward incident. The Chief Minister directed that the SIT investigation will be monitored by an officer of the rank of Additional Director General of Police. Stringent action shall be taken if anyone is found of negligent after probe, he said.
Terming the killing of the villagers most unfortunate, Mr. Patnaik said his government had taken it very seriously. The government was always concerned for the ST, SC and the deprived sections of society, he claimed in his attempt to counter opposition allegation that tribals and Dalits should not be killed in the name of fighting Maoists.
Mr. Patnaik further directed the Director General of Police to have a detailed review and apply required correctives so that such incident is not repeated in future in anti-Naxalite operations.
Meanwhile, the State Human Rights Commission, acting upon a petition by a human rights activist, issued notices to senior State government and police officials asking them to submit their reports on the incident within two weeks. The notices were issued to the Home Secretary, Revenue Divisional Commissioner (Southern Division, Director General of Police, and Inspector General (Southern Range)
