2 dies, 7 injured in police firing in Kodala violence

2 dies, 7 injured in police firing in Kodala violence

Berhampur: Two persons died and seven injured in police firing and lathi charge in connection with Kodala violence on Friday in Deogaon near Kodala area. To control the violent group police started lathi charge and firing after the raged people attacked the police, officials said.

Chief Minister has expressed grave concern over the violence and directed the Director General of Police (DGP) Manmohan Praharaj to rush into the spot and to take stock of the situation, as the situation is worsening day to day. DGP Praharaj reached here in the afternoon and started enquiry into the matter. Government declared Rs 2 lakh as compensation for the families of the deceased and free treatment for the injured in firing and latrhi charge.

The situation became very critical after the lathi charge and firing by police on the protesters. One Gauranga Swain was severely injured in the police firing died in Berhampur MKCG medical, while treatment was going on. Another person Narayana Palei of Khajapalli village breathed his last on the way to medical for treatment. The condition of other injured persons is very serious. Some of them are admitted into the Kavisuryanagar hospital and others are in Berhampur.

Deogaon police alleged that the violent public attacked the police first; as a result they started lathi charge in the spot. In the police-public face-to-face clash one police officer is injured, police informed.

As tension continues to prevail in the riot-torn area of Kodala following the Wednesday’s mayhem, thousands of villagers protesting against the arrests made by police again on Friday. The raged villagers of 25 Panchayats blocked the main road in different places include Khallikote-Bhubaneswar, Kodala-Kanchana, Purusottampur-Kodala, Aska-Boirani routes. The communication and transportation process was severely hit by the blockade. Police is trying to clear the road from big timbers which are used in road blockade.

Kavisuryanagar-Kodala road was blocked in different places by most of the women of the nearby villages. They support the villagers of Chachina village. They are demanding for the release of 46 persons arrested by police.

The victims of the clash are in the protection of the police force. The administration is taking care of the group.

Villagers block road demanding release of arrested persons in Kodala group-clash

Berhampur/Kodala: Following the group-clash, the police imposed curfew in night time from evening 8 pm to morning 6 am. During the curfew hour, Kodala police arrested 43 persons on Thursday morning. Opposing the police action, thousands of villagers from nearby villages blockade the main road to release the arrested villagers.

The communication hit due to the Aska-Bhubaneswar road blockade. Thousands of villagers including hundreds of armed women were in the strike. The villagers of Chachina, Khajapalli, Budha Amba, Deogaon are joined in road blockade in different places.

Additional DG Sanjeev Marik has enquired into the matter and discussed at length to control the situation. The villagers are demanding for the release of arrested villagers, but police is not in the favour of the demand. Police cleared that they may release some persons out of total 43. The raged people did not accept the decision of the police and continued road blockade and agitation against the police order.

This situation is become worsening over due to the uniting of local people after the group-clash. As yesterday, 50 nearby villagers attacked on the Marathi Street in Kodala. Two persons namely P. Kali and Rama Pradhan were killed in the hand of raged villagers during the group-clash. The armed villagers torched the houses by using petrol bomb and country made bombs. Though 10 platoon police force were there to control the mob, but failed to control the mob.

The group clash was a result of personal anger between a group of people from Marathi street and Chachina village. These two people started quarrel taking in account of a discussion in a fast food-cum-tiffin center on May 27. The small quarrel and tackling for revenge transformed into a group class, sources said.

Chief Minister directed a high level administrative enquiry into the matter. Twopolice officer include Kodala IIC Paramananda Sahu and Chatrapur SDPO P.K. Jali were suspended from their job. Government declared compensation Rs 2 lakh for the families of the deceased,Rs 50,000 for home less and 20,000 for the families those are partial affected in the group-clash.