NUAPADA: The Chakotia Bhunjia tribals, who inhabit the villages in Sunabeda Wildlife Sanctuary, are up in arms against the security personnel.
Ever since the security personnel swooped down on their villages in Bhaosil under Soseng panchayat in Komna block on January 29 looking for Maoists and walked in and out of their kitchens, referred to as ‘Lal Bangla’, they are crying hoarse. The Bhunjia tribals believe that ‘Lal Bangla’, abode of ‘Duma Debta’, has lost its sanctity after the security personnel entered the area.
Since then they have been cooking in the open and planned to destroy it and come up with a new one.
They have submitted a memorandum to Nuapada district administration demanding compensation and have threatened to set on fire all the kitchens, usually located in front of their houses, on February 7.
The Bhunjias are a primitive tribe of Orissa and 75 per cent of the total population of the tribe lives in the uphill range of Sunabeda plateau in Nuapada. The Bhunjias believe in many Gods and Goddesses who are worshipped in different months on different occasions.
So sacred is the kitchen that even married daughters are not allowed to enter or touch it and deliberately constructed outside the house to maintain its sanctity, said Tiharu Bhunjia of Bhaosil village.
Nuapada SP Rajesh Pandit said he was unaware of any such incident but promised to probe it.