National Human Rights Commission Logo. | Wikipedia Image
National Human Rights Commission Logo. | Wikipedia Image

NHRC seeks report on Koraput ‘fake' encounter

In his petition, Tripathy mentioned that the encounter of the two tribals was fake and both the deceased have no link with the Maoists.

BHUBANESWAR: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has summoned the Odisha government and sought an action taken report on the alleged fake encounter of police in Koraput district that led to the death of two persons recently.

The apex human rights watchdog has asked DG of Police, Collector and SP of Malkangiri district to submit a detailed report on the exchange of fire with Special Operations Group (SOG) as claimed and the deaths of two persons, in the next four weeks.

On November 11, Koraput police claimed to have gunned down two ‘Maoists’ in Malipadar forests under Boipariguda limits which later was alleged to be fake after the family members of slain tribals asserted that the duo was daily wagers and branded as left wing extremists after their death.

The two tribals were Dhana Khamar of Sargiguda village under Malkangiri police limits and Jaya Kumar Nag of Nuagada under Kosagumuda police limits in Nabarangpur. While Nag’s kin claimed he worked on daily wages and had left home 10 days back, Khamar was en-route Kotpad through the forests the day he was killed.

Supreme court lawyer and rights activist Radhakanta Tripathy had moved the NHRC seeking justice for the innocent tribals, who became victims of police encounter, after their family members staged protests claiming the encounter as fake and branding the two as Maoists only to hide the blunder.

In his petition, Tripathy mentioned that the encounter of the two tribals was fake and both the deceased have no link with the Maoists. Demanding an impartial inquiry into the exchange of fire and adequate compensation for the kin of the deceased, he alleged that the weapons recovered from Khamar could have been planted by Koraput police to justify the cooked up story.

The facts and circumstances of the cases clearly indicate painful and alarming situation in the state. The locals are often sandwiched between the pressure from both sides - police and Maoists.

The matter needs impartial and independent investigation. The family members of both the deceased are inconsolable as they were sole breadwinners, the petition stated.“The encounter amounts to a terrible violation of human rights of the people,” Tripathy said and demanded action against the errant officials involved in the encounter.

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