The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has sought an action-taken report (ATR) from the Dhenkanal Superintendent of Police (SP) regarding the attack by some upper caste people on Scheduled Caste persons in the district.
The NHRC has sought the report within four weeks.
The commission passed the order taking cognisance of a petition filed by a human rights defender Rabindra Mishra of Brahmapur in Ganjam district on the basis of a report in The Pioneer.
Mishra had alleged that the upper caste persons attacked the households of 26 SC persons and allegedly set them on fire at Mahidarpur village under Kamakhyanagar tehsil in Dhenkanal district. The attack took place when the victims were holding a protest against the upper caste people for forcibly cutting paddy from their farmlands.
Though the incident was reported to the police, they didn’t register an FIR. The victims alleged that the police were remaining silent spectators.
Representatives of the State Dalit Mahasangha and AmbedkarLohiaVicharManch had met the SP and sought protection for the victims.
The complainant had urged the NHRC to intervene in the dispute following which the former sought an ATR from the SP.