Concerned over the recent incidents of police crack down on anti-displacement leaders at Chandia near Kalinganagar in Jajpur district and Balitutha, the gateway to the Posco project site in Jagatsinghpur district, the opposition BJP has demanded a CBI probe into these incidents.
Addressing the media here, senior BJP leader Balbir Punj said, “The manner in which the police committed atrocities at Chandia and Balitutha needs to be investigated. The BJP demands a CBI investigation into these incidents as we do not have faith in the state government.”
Expressing anguish over the killing of Laxman Jamuda (55) during the clash between the police forces and the locals at Chandia, Punj said, “It is unfortunate that the body of the deceased was not handed over to his family members. A compensation of Rs 10 lakh should be given to the kin of the deceased.”
He alleged that the Naveen Patnaik led government in Orissa is acting against the interests of the common people and is only catering to corporate interests, adding, the BJP would highlight the incidents of police atrocities in the state at the national level. Referring to the incident at Balitutha as a case of unprovoked firing and arson by the police, Punj called for immediate compensation for the victims whose houses have been set ablaze by the police.
A five-member BJP team led by Punj including Nishikant Dubey, Rudranarayan Pani, Dharmendra Pradhan and Bhupendra Yadav visited Chandia and Balitutha to take stock of the ground situation in the aftermath of the clash between the police and the locals at these locations.
