A fact-finding team of the Organisation for Protection of Democratic Rights (OPDR) has alleged that Kui tribals in Odisha’s Ganjam district are being subjected to harassment following the murder of two persons from their community last year.
“Instead of providing protection and support to the tribals, the police are terrorising the poor tribals through false cases lodged against them,” said Odisha OPDR State secretary Vivek Ranjan.
A five-member delegation of OPDR comprising Mr. Ranjan, Abani Gaya, Maguni Nahak, Srinivas Rao and Ranjan Samal visited five remote tribal villages in the Tarsingh area of Jagannathpur block and interacted with the locals.
A tribal leader named Ganesh Mallik (55) of Salaptaila, who was protesting against the lewd activities of some locals, was murdered in June 2018.
Similarly, Jitendra Pradhan, an educated tribal youth of Bhogara village, was killed in August 2018.
‘Slow probe’
“In both cases, the police investigation was too slow,” said Mr. Gaya. But the Kui tribals who protested against the delay in investigation have been entangled in cases of violence and arson. They are being harassed because of these cases, he claimed.
OPDR activists said the family members of both the deceased have alleged that the main culprits behind the murders were being protected by the police. “But the police have entangled over a hundred people in cases of armed attack and arson. Fearing arrest most male members of these remote villages are not daring to go out,” said Mr. Ranjan.
The OPDR has demanded a high-level inquiry into the two murders and arrest of the accused.
