Finally, the State Government tabled the Justice PK Mohanty Commission of Inquiry report and the action-taken report (ATR) on the January 2, 2006 police firing at Kalinganagar in Jajpur district, in which 13 tribal people were killed.
The report received way back on July 3, 2015 was tabled by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Bikram Keshari Arukh on behalf of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik. It mentioned that the incident was triggered by frustration among the local tribals, who did not get adequate compensation following displacement and land acquisition for the Tata’s Rs 15,400-crore six-million-tonne steel plant.
The probe panel blamed local political leaders and NGOs for taking undue advantage of the uneasiness among the tribals which worsened the situation.
On January 2, 2006, hundreds of tribals armed with bows and arrows faced off with some contractors employed by the Tata Company to stop construction of the compound wall on the land acquired for the project. They clashed with policemen; and during the incident, an irate mob hacked Constable Gopa Mohanty to death. As the situation spiralled out of control, police opened fire, killing 13 people.
The report made three recommendations, namely, a beneficial and comprehensive scheme for giving benefits to the land losers/displaced persons, provision of suitable employment to one member of each deceased family through beneficiary companies and payment of additional ex-gratia to the persons who had been injured in the firing.
The Government said all the recommendations made by the commission have been complied.