Communal Tension / Odisha Deputy CM Reviews Malkangiri Unrest as Peace Gradually Returns
·7 months ago·2 min read
Key Points
- Odisha Deputy CM and MoS reviewed law and order in Malkangiri after communal tension.
- Violence erupted after a woman’s severed head was found; over 180 houses were torched.
- Heavy police deployment continues as peace talks progress and no fresh incidents reported.
Malkangiri, Dec 11: Peace appeared to return to Malkangiri district on Thursday after Odisha Deputy Chief Minister Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo and Minister of State Gokulananda Mallik arrived by aircraft to review the law-and-order situation in the wake of communal tension between two groups.
After landing at the Malkangiri airport, the ministers proceeded to the Collector’s office, where they were briefed on the situation arising from the unrest in MV-26 village and subsequent developments.
The review meeting was attended by Southern Division RDC Sangram Keshari Mahapatra, ADG Sanjeeb Panda, DIG Kanwar Vishal Singh, SP Vinodh Patil and Collector Somesh Upadhyay. Singh Deo said the state government has taken the incident seriously and deployed additional police forces to restore normalcy. As a precaution, the district administration has shut down internet services for another 12 hours -- from noon to midnight of Thursday.
Tension had escalated after a severed head of Lakey Padiami from Rakhelguda village was recovered on Wednesday near Kanya Ashram on the Kalimela–Padia road, nearly 40 km from where her headless body was found on December 4, along the Dudameta riverbank. A scientific team and sniffer dogs assisted police in the search.
The murder had triggered violent retaliation by residents of Rakhelguda, who attacked MV-26 village, setting fire to over 180 houses and shops. Armed groups stormed the village, prompting mass evacuation by frightened residents. Police, along with BSF personnel, rushed to the spot, but tension remained high until both communities agreed to a peace meeting.
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Officials said the situation has improved in the last 24 hours, with no fresh incidents reported. A total of 15 platoons of central forces and 20 platoons of Odisha Police remain deployed. Peace talks with community leaders continued at the Collectorate today, where the Deputy CM assured that all demands placed by both sides would be examined to ensure lasting peace in the district.
After landing at the Malkangiri airport, the ministers proceeded to the Collector’s office, where they were briefed on the situation arising from the unrest in MV-26 village and subsequent developments.
The review meeting was attended by Southern Division RDC Sangram Keshari Mahapatra, ADG Sanjeeb Panda, DIG Kanwar Vishal Singh, SP Vinodh Patil and Collector Somesh Upadhyay. Singh Deo said the state government has taken the incident seriously and deployed additional police forces to restore normalcy. As a precaution, the district administration has shut down internet services for another 12 hours -- from noon to midnight of Thursday.
Tension had escalated after a severed head of Lakey Padiami from Rakhelguda village was recovered on Wednesday near Kanya Ashram on the Kalimela–Padia road, nearly 40 km from where her headless body was found on December 4, along the Dudameta riverbank. A scientific team and sniffer dogs assisted police in the search.
The murder had triggered violent retaliation by residents of Rakhelguda, who attacked MV-26 village, setting fire to over 180 houses and shops. Armed groups stormed the village, prompting mass evacuation by frightened residents. Police, along with BSF personnel, rushed to the spot, but tension remained high until both communities agreed to a peace meeting.
Also Read: AIIMS Bhubaneswar Performs Life-Changing Orthopaedic Surgery
Officials said the situation has improved in the last 24 hours, with no fresh incidents reported. A total of 15 platoons of central forces and 20 platoons of Odisha Police remain deployed. Peace talks with community leaders continued at the Collectorate today, where the Deputy CM assured that all demands placed by both sides would be examined to ensure lasting peace in the district.
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