MALKANGIRI: Malkangiri district was on the boil for the second consecutive day as mobs in thousands continued their rampage in MV-26, torching more houses of and forcing the inhabitants to flee the village.
With the situation going out of control despite heightened security arrangements, the district administration clamped a curfew in MV-26 area, while internet services were suspended across the district for 24 hours from 6 pm on Monday.
The unrest had been sparked by the alleged murder of a woman, Lake Podami from Koya tribe, whose headless body was discovered in the Potteru river on Thursday last. The tribal villagers, accusing the Bengali residents of being involved in the murder, launched an organised attack on MV-26 settlement area on Sunday even though police have arrested one Subharanjan Mondal in the connection.
The mobs armed with bows and arrows, axes and spears have wreaked havoc in the village, reportedly burning down scores of houses and damaging property while officials have remained tight-lipped on the extent of damage.
According to officials, hundreds of people shouting pro-Adivasi slogans entered MV-26 again on Monday afternoon and targeted multiple homes and properties. The attacks reportedly took place even in the presence of police. Panic-stricken families fled the village, fearing further violence.
Malkangiri SP Vinod Patil was on the ground throughout the day, monitoring the situation and coordinating security deployments to bring the situation under control. DGP YB Khurania and other senior officials of state police rushed to the area in the evening to take stock of the situation and supervise efforts to bring it under control.
Tribal leader Bandhu Muduli accused the settlers of being involved in criminal activities. He alleged that many Bengalis were residing in the village without valid documents and reiterated the demand that only those settlers possessing government-issued green cards should be allowed to remain.
Attacks orchestrated, say Bengalis, seek high-level probe
He alleged that the murder of Podami occurred due to land dispute. The land in the possession of the deceased Podami should be officially recorded in her name, the tribal leader demanded.
On the other hand, the Bengali residents from nearby villages staged a demonstration outside the district collector’s office, protesting the destruction of their homes and properties and demanding action against the attackers. In a memorandum submitted to the collector Somesh Kumar Upadhyay, the Malkangiri Bengali Samaj sought a high-level enquiry into the “orchestrated attack mobilised by influential individuals”.
Samaj president Gouranga Karmakar said the community had warned the administration multiple times in about tensions brewing in the region. “A similar incident had taken place earlier in Kamwada panchayat, but we worked hard to calm the situation. This time, the violence has crossed limits,” he stated.
The Samaj urged the administration to arrest all those involved in instigating or participating in the violence within 72 hours and ensure stringent punishment. It also sought adequate compensation for the affected families whose homes and properties were destroyed.
The organisation also demanded a high-level probe into the woman’s murder case. “We request the administration to treat this matter with utmost seriousness and take steps to restore peace and harmony in Malkangiri,” the memorandum said.
Speaking to TNIE, Upadhyay said curfew has been enforced under Section 163 of BNSS to maintain peace and prevent the spread of rumors, and internet services have been suspended temporarily. Steps have been intensified to bring normalcy back. A community kitchen and a temporary shelter have been opened in the village to provide food and security to affected families, he said.
Assessment of damaged houses is underway, and relief will be extended as per SRC guidelines once the evaluation is complete, he added.
Meanwhile, ODRAF and Fire Services teams have been deployed to recover the missing head of the deceased woman, whose body was earlier found in the Potteru river. Cameras have been installed along the river to aid search operations, the collector added.