A meeting was organised by the All-India Kisan Mazdoor Sabha (AIKMS) at Kumarabandha of Dharakote block in Ganjam district of Odisha on Friday in memory of tribal leader Adangu Gomango, who was murdered at the same village early morning on May 23.
Tribals from 35 villages of the area, mostly from Saura community, attended the rally. It was addressed by AIKMS national committee secretary Bhala Chandra Sarangi, social and environmental activist Prafulla Samantra as well as several other local tribal activists.
It was believed that Adangu, who was fighting for the socio-economic and forest rights of Saura tribals in the area, had become victim of those whose activities were being threatened.
According to Mr Sarangi, Saura tribals from areas of present Gajapati district had migrated to this jungle region of Dharakote block of Ganjam district more than six decades back. But till now their habitats in forest land have not been declared as revenue villages, because of which most developmental schemes of government are not reaching them.
Recently these landless tribals have been provided pattas under the Forest Rights Act, but their land has not been demarcated. “This has led to tussles between tribals and non-tribals in the region. We suspect murder of Adangu was related to this tussle as he was leading the tribal agitation for land rights in the area,” said Mr Sarangi.
Adangu’s body was located in a pool of blood in front of his house at Kumarabandha on May 23 morning. Because of heat he had slept outside his house the previous night. Some armed miscreant had hacked him to death. During his memorial on Friday, a demand was made to demarcate land provided to the tribals under Forest Rights Act. Tribals also wanted left out landless families to be provided land rights as early as possible.
