Dead bodies cremated, party leaders condemned police firing

5^th day of Kodala violence

Berhampur: Five days gone, still normalcy in the area is yet to approach. Though market, shops and business opened up in Kodala town, but the tensed village areas had no change. These areas continued to remain tense even on Sunday.

Two dead bodies of the deceased namely Gauranga Swain of Matha Sarasingi and Narayana Palei of Khajapalli, who were killed in the police firing on Friday were cremated in their village with all the rituals of funeral in the presence of the villagers.

The families of the deceased again demanded Rs 10 lakh and a government job as compensation. Nirmala Palei, mother of the deceased Narayana Palei told to the media that her son is innocent. He was ill, recently returned from Surat was going to the hospital for the treatment of jaundice on that day. On the he was fired by the police. She has demanded Rs. 10 lakh and a job for her family member.

Leaders of different parties have condemned the brutality of the police. “Firing on innocent people was unjustified. The people have given memorandum to the district collector before 15 days, then why government did not listen them! We demand for a judicial probe”, said BJP leader Vijaya Mahapatra on Sunday.

CPI leader N. Narayana Reddy who had visited the riot-torn Kodala area on Saturday with his party workers told on Sunday that the firing order was illegal. He questioned to the state government that who has given order for firing in which criteria, government should clarify first. It is a matter of probe.

“Every person has the right to protest against any unlawful activities. If violence was taken place, police should aware them before their action through mike announcement in the presence of a magistrate. Directly, lathi charge and firing was not the legal way. It was undemocratic. We demand a judicial enquire on this matter”, said Narayana Reddy to The Pioneer here.

Similarly, congress leader and former minister Chandrasekhar Sahu told to The Pioneer that the firing on the people without any announcement was unlawful. It could have been controlled. This was totally callousness of the police and failure of the district administration.

The women of the Chachina village complained before the political leaders about police brutality. Dozens of women showed their injured legs and hands which was mercilessly beaten up by the police and told about indiscriminate lathi charge on 14^th evening and 15^th morning.

“After the incident of Badapalli area under Sheragada block, which was happened two couple of months before, this is the second incidence, which showed the negligence of state administration. If the police administration could have controlled the mafiaraj, criminal activities before, this menace would not come to the light again”, said former Deputy Speaker Ramachandra Panda to The Pioneer on Sunday.

He further requested the government to issue a direction to the police for compulsory registration of FIR and complain before police against goons, culprits, anti-socials.