No violence in Koraput ;Statesman News Service
KORAPUT, 8 SEPT: A rare sense of reason prevailed and defused an explosive situation at Narayanpatna today as thousands of villagers prepared to confront each other restrained from violence and the Chasi Mulia Adivasi Sangh (CMAS), Narayanpatna unit confining itself to holding a meeting rather than storming Laxmipur and gherao the police station.
The CMAS which had announced that it would stage a rally and march to Laxmipur demanding immediate release of two persons arrested for demolishing a liquor outlet at Laxmipur opted to stay back and address a public meeting at the outskirts.
Heavy police deployment was made in the area and senior officers including director of Intelligence, Mr PK Mishra had camped in the area since yesterday.
Signs of unrest increased by the house as people of Laxmipur, Dasmantpur and Kashipur blocks united to prevent the CMAS Narayanpatna from entering Laxmipur. In fact since yesterday villagers had confronted the district authorities demanding why they were not taking action against certain activists of CMAS who were hell bent to create a law and order problem.
People of these villages asserted that they will not allow CMAS procession to enter their villages and said the CMAS should confine itself to Narayanpatna.
Members of CMAS armed with traditional arms under the leadership of Mr Nachika Linga, their president, reached the outskirts of Laxmipur today demanding the release of the two arrested persons.
Mr Linga, however, did not enter Laxmipur as thousands had gathered on the road to prevent any further movement of the CMAS activists.
Both sides confronted each other with the district collector, Mr Gadadhar Parida and Mr Asish Kumar Singh, SP, Rayagada who is also in charge of Koraput district persuading each group to maintain peace.
The CMAS leaders yielded and held a meeting wherein they voiced their demands including land, forest and water rights of tribals. Some of the CMAS leaders alleged that the protests by villagers of Laxmipur and other areas to prevent the CMAS from entering Laxmipur was a tactic by the government machinery. Villagers preventing us from entering Laxmipur area are working as agents of the state machinery, they alleged.
Some of them even charged that the state machinery was being used to try and divide the CMAS and the tribals to crush the movement for tribal land and forest rights.
Meanwhile, chief minister Mr Naveen Patnaik held a meeting with the chief secretary, home Secretary, DGP and said that the situation at Narayanpatna and other areas of Koraput district is being monitored closely. Senior officers have been sent to these areas. |
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