The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) has sought a report on Monday from the District Magistrate -cum-Collector of Kandhamal over the innocent of a child killed by the security forces on July 8 night at Gumudumaha village under Parapanga Gram panchayat of Kandhamal district.
In the security personnel firing, a Gehesh Digal (2) was killed along with four others. The deceased child’s father luka Digal and mother Sunita were injured in the incident.
Notably, the rights activist, Akhand, working group member of Civil Society Forum on Human Rights (CSFHR), on last month had filed a petition before the NCPCR over the unfortunate incident. The petitioner alleged that the ill-fated Digal ,his parents and some fellow villagers, who were working under Mahatama Gandhi National Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGA) as labourers were returning home after having collected their wwages at the sub-divisional headquarters (Balliguda) in an auto-rickshaw, when the incident occurred.
At about 8.20 pm, the auto rickshaw stopped near the village due to dilapidated earthen muddy road. The passengers boarded on the auto rickshaw got down whereas the women, two of them carrying infant sons, walked ahead. The men pushed the auto rickshaw up to the kutcha road. Upon reaching the top, the women first began to get into the auto rickshaw when SOG personnel ,lying in wait amidst bushes not more than 10 to 15 metres away to the left of the road, opened fire without giving warning whatsoever to these persons. Five people, including three women, and two-year old boy Digal ,who was on the cradle of his mother, were killed instantly while seven others were wounded, five of them seriously.