Kalinga Nagar Industrial Estate, India’s upcoming steel hub, on Wednesday plunged into turmoil with the death of a tribal man allegedly due to police firing. Tension gripped Chandia, Gadpur. Bamiagotha and other adjoining villages as Laxman Jamunda, a 65-year-old tribal, fell to the police bullet. The locals informed that Laxman, a resident of Chandia, was fired from behind while he was trying to flee the village carrying his granddaughter on his shoulder to escape the “police atrocity.”
“Laxman was fired when he was trying to escape the police action during the forcible eviction of tribals by the district administration. The police administration claims that he died of sunstroke, but his blood stained shirt speaks it all,” Rabindra Jarika, leader of the Bisthapan Birodhi Jana Manch (BBJM) told reporters at Jajpur.
However, the district administration, in a statement, clarified that Laxman died of heatstroke. Chief minister Naveen Patnaik, after his return from New Delhi, said, “I’m informed that nobody was killed in police firing. My government does not believe in violence. However, the matter will be looked into.”
The Congress accused the ruling BJD of unleashing bloodshed in Kalinga Nagar to protect the interest of private companies.