HRC seeks report on Odisha villagers' killing

The Odisha Human Rights Commission (OHRC) has sought a report from the state police on the killing of three villagers by security personnel during an anti-Maoists operation in western Odisha’s Kalahandi district on Sunday evening.

Sources said the human rights body on Monday afternoon directed the deputy inspector general (DIG) of police in charge of south-western range to conduct an inquiry into the incident and submit a report within four weeks. The OHRC ordered the probe, while responding to petitions filed by two state-based human rights activists.

Meanwhile, the local police in Kalahandi district reiterated that the security personnel did not kill the villagers and they (the villagers) could have died during an exchange of fire between the security personnel and the Maoists.

“According to preliminary inquiry, there was a heavy exchange of fire between the security personnel and a group of Maoists. After the encounter, the ultras fled from the spot. The three dead bodies were recovered during a combing operation after the exchange of fire”, the superintendent of police (SP), Kalahandi, Brajesh Singh said.The incident took place inside a forest near Bhawanipatna, the headquarter town of the tribal-dominated western Odisha district.However, two survivors of the incident, both minor tribal boys who had received bullet injuries had said on Sunday that the police started firing at them as soon as they (the security personnel) saw them.