BARIPADA: Normal life was hit in Mayurbhanj district as scores of students under the aegis of Mayurbhanj Adivasi Students Association (MASA) along with JMM, on Wednesday, observed a 12-hour bandh alleging police inaction in arresting Dibyalochan Barik for reportedly thrashing and torturing students of ITI Kuliana. Barik is the younger brother of the ITI principal Trilochan Barik.
The protesters picketed in Udala, Karanjia, Rairangpur and Baripada district headquarters threatening to intensify the protest if action was not taken against the accused. Vehicular services, train communication, government and non-government run organisation including Sri Ram Chandra Bhanjdeo University and other educational institutions, judiciary in four sub-divisions, petrol pumps and business establishments did not function owing to the bandh. Large number of vehicles were seen stranded on national highways 18 and 49 along with the State Highway passing through the district.
Workers of JMM in Rairangpur sub-division stopped Tata-Badampahar train at Badampahar station demanding immediate arrest of the accused. Suklal Marandi, founder of MASA, said Mayurbhanj police arrested the principal Trilochan and a lecturer Satyajit Giri of the ITI for their complicity in thrashing students while the main accused Dibyalochan is on the run. “He assaulted students when they demanded to cancel the ongoing examinations due to issuance of wrong admit cards on August 3,” Marandi alleged. An FIR in the connection was lodged on the same day.
Following the incident, the students staged a sit-in at the collectorate demanding action against the accused. “The bandh is not a mere protest but warning to institutional heads of education sector to stop torturing tribal students in the district,” warned Marandi. Baripada SDPO KK Hariprasad said police took preventive measures to avoid untoward incident on the day but a case was registered against some students for allegedly entered a shop and assaulted workers.