Gajapati Bandh called on Sept 1
Buckling under pressure from different quarters, the State Government on Thursday transferred Gajapati district ITDA PA Kalyan Kumar Rath from the district on Thursday.
Rath, whom nursing student Sunita Raita had held responsible for her death in her suicidal note, has reportedly been posted as Sub-Collector at Baripada in Mayurbhanj district. According to information, Gunupur ITDA PA Karunakar Raika has been appointed as ITDA PA of Gajapati.
On the other hand, the Adivasi Mahasanga, which has been staging a dharan in front of the Gajapati district Collector’s office since Tuesday, expressed resentment that their demand of Rath’s arrest has been ignored.
“The Government has failed to give justice to tribal people in connection with Sunita Raita suicide. First it protected former district Collector Basudev Bahinipati by transferring him and now it has done the same thing by transferring Rath. We will continue our stir until the two administrators haven’t been arrested,” said mahasangh president Abraham Gamang and general secretary Antaryami Gamang.
They informed that the Mahasangh would observe Bandh in Gajapati district on September 1 to press for their demands. Over 50 tribal leaders joined the dharna, which reached 3rd day on Thursday.