ORISSA POLICE KILLED INNOCENT KOSLI PEOPLE IN FAKE ENCOUNTER TERMING THEM MAOIST

Discrimination and brutality against the people of KOSAL (Western Orissa) region by the Orissa state administration is not new..But the atrocities crossed all the limits when Orissa Police indiscriminately fired and killed two innocent Kosli people of Paikmal block in Bargarh District...

It is to be noted that one of the deceased is an activist who was opposing mining on the Gandhamardhan Hills which is sacred to the people of Kosal (western Orissa) and is the only source of lively hood for thousand of tribal people..

On Monday, the SOG and CRPF team combing the jungles near Paikmal block of Bargarh reportedly faced firing. “Our forces had definite information that a Maoist camp was running there. When we raided the camp we were fired at. In the crossfire, two Maoists were killed,” said Bargarh SP Soorya Thankappan.

Three days after a combined team of CRPF and Special Operation Group police in western Orissa district of Bargarh shot dead two people alleging them to be Maoists, the Opposition BJP on Thursday termed it a “fake encounter” after one of the deceased was found to be a block president of the party.

The police recovered two bodies as well as some provisions from the camp.

The deceased were identified Wednesday night as Madhav Singh Thakur, the Paikmal block president of BJP, and Ramesh Sahu, a local youth. Thakur’s body was identified by his family members.

Former state BJP chief Suresh Pujari, who toured the area Thursday morning, alleged that police intentionally killed Thakur as he was opposing mining in Gandhamardan mountain. Pujari, who met Thakur’s family members, asked why the deceased BJP member was not arrested earlier if he was a Maoist.

“Thakur had agitated publicly against mining in Gandhamardan a month ago when CM Naveen Patnaik visited the district. Did the police find out suddenly that Thakur was a Maoist. What is surprising is that the police did not recover any firearms or bullets from the Maoist camp,” said Pujari.

The BJP leader who is now planning to approach the National Human Rights Commission over the “fake encounter” said he found it surprising that the police could recover two bodies.

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Below is the report from INDIA TV "India's leading News Channel" :-

Bargarh, Orissa, Dec 31: The Orissa BJP has alleged that two of its activists were shot dead by police in a fake encounter after describing them as Maoists, reports India TV reporter Prasanta Patnaik.

"We have recovered bodies of two Maoists killed during an exchange of fire in Gandhamardan hills near Paikamal on Monday night," Surya Thankapan, Bargarh superintendent of police said.

Describing the slained persons as Maoists, Ms Thankapan said that they had definite information about the close link of the deceased persons with Maoists, who were killed during the cross firing and encounter.

According to Sunakar Sahu, both Madhab and Ramesh who were associated with the BJP had been to Borasambar village in connection with organising a party meeting. While they were trturning by a motor cycle, they were shot dead by the police from a very close range. None of them had any link with the Maoists.

Pradip Purohit , advisor of the Gandhamardan Surakhya Samiti, said that Madhab Singh Thakur is a well known and highly respected social activist who was associated with Gandhamardan Surakhya Samity since long.

Madhab had donated over 50 bottles of blood for which he was loved and respected in the area. As Madhab was a good organiser and was involved in Gandhamardan Surakhya movement, the police has intentionally killed him to foil the movement and paving the way for handing over this valuable mountain rich with bauxite and medicinal plants and herbs.

Because of its rich medicinal plants and herbs, people believe that Hanuman had taken this mountain to Lank during the battle with Ravan, to save the life of Laxman who was badly injured by the poisonous weapons of the demons.

Madhab's father also claimed that his son and his friend were totally inocent and had no link with the Maoists, any body and everybody in the area can vouch about it.

If both of them were Maoists , the police could have seized weapons from them . Instead of exhibiting any arms and ammunitions, the police exhibited rice, dal, onion etc. to the astonishment of the local people.

BJP State unit President Jual Oram, told India TV over phone that a five member committee of the party have gone to the area for an on the spot study of the situation about the cause of cold blooded murder in the name of encounter.

He was surprised to learn that the police have branded both the BJP leaders as Maoists, as nowhere the BJP members ever believe in Maoism.

" This is a terror tactic by the Government and the police to keep people away from Gandhamardan Surakhya movement, so that the Government can easily hand over the rich bauxite mines to Vedanta, who are very much interested for this mines.Family members of both Thakur and Sahu have filed F.I.R. with Paikmal police alleging that both of them were killed in cold blood by the police.