Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Buguda call for a bandh protesting police firing in Kodala area

6th day of Kodala violence

Berhampur: The condition of riot-torn Kodala area is improving gradually. Market, shops, business establishments and educational institutions in Kodala town resumed work as usual on Monday. Still simmering tension in the village areas was quite perceptible. Still the blockade road was not cleared, though administration is trying to clear the road and some works also have taken into hand. The transportation, communication were still hit by the road blockade, which reached into the sixth day of the violence.

Local people of Buguda, 20 km away from Kodala town called a strike protesting the police firing on the villagers in connection with Kodala violence and to not allow the settlement Eragola community in their area on Monday here.

Strike in Buguda was peaceful, but after getting the information of the rehabilitation and settlement of Eragola community in Shola Maili, a place near Buguda by the state government, though it was not sure the nearby villagers completely opposed the proposal and threatened to the administration to change the location from Shola Maili.

Apart from some minor incidents, the bandh was peaceful in toto. There are two platoon police force were deployed in Buguda area. Sub-collector of Bhanjanagar Pabitra Mandal and Tehsildar of Buguda were present there to take stock of the situation. The administration has told the media that bandh situation of Buguda was under control.

The local people blockade the road by burning tyre and felled trees to mark the bandh in the area. Communication and transportation was hit by the strike. Market, business establishments, educational institutions were closed on Monday. Buguda was closed from all sides. The protesters have blocked the entry gate of Nayagada main road near Adipur and another near Karatuli by burning tyres and felled trees.

Thousands of protesters joined in the rally started from Badadanda to Tehsil office and police station in Buguda. They demanded clarification from the government on the matter of settlement for Eragola community at Shola Maili. While sub-collector Mandal discussed with the people and clarified the people that they have not received any notification about the settlement proposal yet. After the clarification, they went out in the rally.

In Kavisuryanagar, women leader of BJP Jayanti Padhiary sat on a dharna in front of the Kavisuryanagar police station protesting police brutality on Monday, while Benayat Odia Samaj held a meeting here protesting the police firing and to out the Eragola community from Kodala.

In an another development, police maintained a balance and started reviewing the old cases of the Eragola peoples, to woo the heart of the defiant villagers, who have been demanding always to take appropriate steps against the criminal activities of the community in Kodala. As a result of police arrested two Eragola youths by old warrant and forwarded them to the court on Sunday night. The youths were identified as B.Murali arrested by the old warrant in connection with a dacoit case in Bhadrak in 2005 and N.Chandra in connection with illegal liquor business in Kodala in 2006. Police have sent them to Kodala sub-jail.

Leaders like Aska MP Nityananda Pradhan, BJD MLA Pradeep Panigrahy, Berhampur MLA Ramesh Chandra Chyau Patnaik and Subash Maharana with others were visited the riot-torn Kodala area to review the situation on Monday.

Two days over, but peace committee could not formed, as the defiant villagers stick into the demand of Rs 10 lakh and a government job and compensation for the families of the deceased. After fulfillment of the demand they will agree to take part in the peace committee and the proposed peace process.

According to Kavisuryanagar MLA V.Sugyan Deo, the peace committee would have members representing all sections. She hopes that formation of the peace committee will help to bring peace in the area as well.

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