2 area commanders among 4 Maoists surrendered in Odisha

BHUBANESWAR: Four Maoists including three women cadres were surrendered before the South Western Range IG YK Jethwa at Malkangiri on Friday.

Among the four Maoists, two were area commanders (ACMs) carrying reward of Rs 4 lakh each on their head and other two were armed cadres carrying cash award of Rs 1 lakh each on the head, said Jethwa.  

The two ACMs were identified as Manglu Podiami alias Pavan of Marigetta and Rame Madhi alias Anita of Kurub in Malkangiri district. While Manglu was working as leader of Gana Natya Sangha of Kalimela Area Committee under the Malkangiri division of the CPI (Maoist), Anita was a member of the first Central Regional Commission of the Maoist organisation.

The other two were Kunjam Raje alias Gita of Peta, working for the Boipariguda Area Committee, and Gangi Kurami alias Sangeeta of Konta area in Chattisgarh, said Malkangiri SP Mitra Bhanu Mohapatra.

State to promote Buddhist heritages in int’l level: CM

--3-day conference on Buddhist heritages begins in city

BHUBANESWAR: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik while inaugurating the Third International Conference on Buddhist Heritage of Odisha here on Friday emphasised upon promotion of Buddhist heritages of the State in international level.

He termed the Buddhist heritages at Lalitgiri, Udaygiri and Ratnagiri as invaluable assets in the tourism sector of the State. To increase the tourist footfall to these places, he said, the State Government would take initiatives to promote and publicize Buddhist heritages of the State in national and international level.

Patnaik hoped that the conference would successfully portray the significance of these heritages of the State. He also emphasised upon the roles of tour operator in promoting the sites in the national and international level.

Tourism Minister Ashok Panda stressed on linking of the Buddhist heritages with other heritages of the country.

Among others, Tourism Secretary Arvind Padhee and Indian Association of Tour Operators president Subhash Goel also spoke in the inaugural ceremony.

The three-day conference is being attended by many professors from Japan, University of Delhi, Banaras Hindu University, Lucknow University together with tour operators from Delhi and Banaras along with scholars and tour operators of the State.

A book titled `Excavations at Radhanagar’ was released by the Chief Minister at the inaugural session.

After the inaugural session, intellectuals and professors presented papers on Buddhist sites of India and Odisha, tourism potentials of Buddhist sites in Odisha and other case studies.

The second day would be a field visit to Lalitgiri, Udayagiri and Ratnagiri, while there would be an exclusive session for the tour operators on third day.

SOG Jawan injured in landmine explosion in Balangir

BHUBANESWAR: A Special Operations Group (SOG) jawan was critically injured when a landmine went off at Kuabahali village under Turekela block in Balangir district on Thursday evening.

According to reports, SOG jawan Nasib Seth sustained critical injuries on his left leg during a combing operation. First he was rushed to Patnagarh hospital but later shifted to the VSS Medical College and Hospital at Burla as his condition deteriorated.

Notably, the Maoists had set a JCB machine and tractor near Bhalumunda under the Turekela police station on January 6 protesting road construction work.

NHRC seeks report from Odisha Govt on Jajmani System

BHUBANESWAR: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has asked the Centre along with all the State Governments including Odisha to submit report on untouchability practices continued in various forms in different States of the country. 

Accepting a complaint from the Odisha Goti Mukti Andolan secretary Sumitra Barik, the Commission on January 15 issued a notice to the Union Secretary of Labour and Employment Department to give report on labourers engaged in Jajmani system in Odisha within eight weeks.  

In the notice, the Commission mentioned about Barik’s allegation on engagement of washermen and barbers under the Jajmani System Occupation available only to the Caste Hindus in lieu of nominal wages ‘in kind’ paid once or twice a year. Such a tradition deprives dalits to get the essential services like cutting hairs and washing clothes of barbers and washermen respectively for 100 years, it added. 

As per Hindu tradition, Barik said, the services of barbers and washermen are essentially required for funeral rites after death of caste Hindus. As they render essential service like cutting hair and washing clothes only to caste Hindus under ‘Jajmani System’ and not to dalits, which perpetuates untouchability and bonded labour system in the society, she added. 

Though the system is unconstitutional and also prohibited under laws of the land, activist Baghambar Patnaik said, it is still continuing across the country unabated. The Centre and the State Governments have turned a blind eye to this unconstitutional forced labour which is also a blatant violation of international standards, he added.

Unknown letter threatens to blow up Odisha Assembly

--DGP reviews security arrangement

BHUBANESWAR: The Commissionerate Police on Thursday received a threat letter from an unknown person mentioning that the Odisha Legislative Assembly house, Naveen Niwas (Chief Minister’s residence) and BJP State party office here would be attacked.  

The letter on the postcard also said that it would use timer bomb to explode the three sensitive buildings in the city. 

Police sources said the unknown sender has not mentioned about the motive of the attack. The police have started investigating into the matter, official sources said.  

After getting the letter, Bhubaneswar DCP Satyabrata Bhoi directed all the police stations to remain alert.  

While reviewing the security arrangement for the Assembly’s budget session which would begin from Friday, DGP Sanjeev Marik confirmed the news. “We have received an unknown threat letter. We are taking all required steps to prevent any untoward situation during the Assembly session,” he added. 

Following the threat, security has been beefed up in the State Assembly and Naveen Niwas. 

Director (Intelligence) Sunil Roy, IG (Intelligence) Arun Sarangi, Twin City Commissioner of Police Dr RP Sharma and other senior police officials also reviewed the security arrangement.