Thousands of tribal women under the banner of Milita Odisha Nishamukti Abhiyan Manch staged a demonstration before the district Collectorate at Keonjhar on Sunday protesting against growing alcoholism.
The agitated women along with their kids and traditional weapons blocked the NH for three hours and gheraoed the Collectorate. They also submitted a memorandum for the Chief Minister through the Collector.
Along with various demands, the memorandum also demanded no recurrence of any incident like the one committed by the police administration in Bansapala block, provision of compensation to the family of Sunia Senapati who died due to alcohol in Bayalumitia panchayat and giving justice to them by properly investigating into his death and creation of a healthy environment by closing all the liquor shops on the sides of National Highways.
The forum through its memorandum threatened that lakhs of tribal women across Keonjhar would paralyse the Government machinery in coming days unless its demands are not fulfilled.