The six-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Human Rights Protection Cell (HRPC) arrived in Kandhamal district on Sunday to probe into the alleged killing of five villagers of Gumudumaha during an anti-Maoist operation on July 8 in the Kurtamgarh forest.
HRPC ADG Mahendra Pratap said, “We will take charge of the case from tonightand start our probe. We will interrogate SOG jawans and also meet the victims as part of the investigation,” said Pratap, adding that a SIT camp office would be opened in Kandhamal.
The SIT team comprising HRPC SP Gurudas Kundu as the Investigating Officer (IO) and Ramachandra Gouda, Sadananda Guha, A Patnaik, Nirupama Sethy and Bijay Bal as other members of the team.
On the other hand, a four-member team of senior IAS officer in the rank of Principal Secretaries of four departments of the State Government is on a two-day visit to the Kandhamal to oversee the developmental activities
Health Secretary Arti Ahuja, Rural Development Secretary Madhusudan Padhi, Energy Rajesh Verma and Works Secretary Nalinikanta Pradhan were in the district and hold discussions with the district administration officials and review the progress of various welfare schemes implemented by the | State Government in the district.