BERHAMPUR: Normal life was paralysed in Rayagada on Friday due to the bandh called by Zilla Adivasi Mahasangh and the local BJP demanding a CBI probe into the mysterious death of Laxmi Majhi whose half-burnt body was recovered from the premises of Chandrapur community health centre (CHC) on December 21.
Roads wore a deserted look as vehicular traffic came to a grinding halt due to the dawn-to-dusk bandh. While business establishments downed their shutters, all government and private offices remained closed on the day.
The agitators said it’s been 16 days since the body of the 28-year-old tribal woman was recovered from an abandoned room on the CHC campus, but the police and Crime Branch are yet to solve the case. Initial findings indicated that Laxmi was murdered elsewhere and her body was set on fire on the CHC premises to destroy evidence. However, the death continues to remain a mystery.
“This is not an isolated case. Earlier, tribal youth leaders Bhagirathi Mandangi and Purushottam Gamango were found dead under mysterious circumstances. Police have failed to make any headway in the investigation into their deaths. We want justice for these tribals and demand a CBI probe into the three murders,” the protestors added. Mandangi and Gamango died mysteriously in 2010 and 2019 respectively.
Members of the Zilla Adivasi Mahasangh warned of intensifying their protest if the families of the deceased are not provided justice soon. Police said the bandh passed off peacefully and no untoward incident was reported on the day. The administration deployed a large number of police personnel in view of the bandh.
Laxmi, a physically challenged woman, was working as a warden in ‘Maa Gruha’ on Chandrapur CHC premises for the last five years after being recruited by a social organisation named ‘Alisha’. After the recovery of her charred body, her family members lodged an FIR with police alleging that she was raped and set ablaze by miscreants to destroy evidence.
Earlier, the Mahasangh staged a demonstration in front of Tikiri police station alleging inaction by the cops in the case. The local unit of BJP Mahila Morcha also observed a six-hour bandh in Rayagada over the issue. Later, a team from the Crime Branch visited Chandrapur CHC and quizzed some of the staff. The team also reportedly collected forensic evidence from the room where Laxmi’s body was found.