JAIPUR: A delegation of tribals from Kalinga Nagar have demanded the Jajpur administration to hand over the chopped palms of five anti-displacement protesters, who were killed in 2006 firing. The chopped palms have been kept in a box by the administration for the past 11 years.
The delegation, under the banner of Bisthapan Birodhi Jan Manch (BBJM), met Sub-Collector on Friday and submitted a memorandum.
They said the administration should conduct DNA tests and give the palms to them so that those are cremated. While cremation of the bodies was done after the firing incident, the death rituals are still incomplete as chopped palms have not been cremated, said Rabindra Jarika, secretary of BBJM. As many as 12 tribals were killed in police firing in Kalinga Nagar during a protest against construction of a compound wall of Tata Steel project.
Postmortem of seven bodies was conducted normally but doctors at the Jajpur District Headquarters Hospital had to cut the palms of Ram Gagrai, Ati Jamuda, Landu Jarika, Bhagaban Sae and Mukuta Bankira to obtain fingerprints as the faces of the five tribals were disfigured in the firing. Although the bodies were handed over to their relatives, the palms were kept in the District Headquarters Hospital.
The shocking incident had caused hue and cry and the State Government was later directed by the Human Rights Commission to return the chopped off palms to the next kin of the victims. However, the tribals later refused to accept expressing their doubt over the genuineness of the palms.
The district administration then agreed to conduct DNA test on the chopped palms for identification of the victims and preserved them in a club at Ambagadia in Kalinga Nagar. Meanwhile, 11 years have lapsed and no DNA test has been conducted.
Jajpur Collector NC Dhal said district administration would take appropriate steps in this regard.