Dismissing the claim of the security forces that there was a crossfire between them and the Maoists leading to the death of five civilians at Kurtamguda in Kandhamal district on July 8 night, National Commission for Scheduled Caste Chairman Pl Punia on Thursday said the commission would monitor the actions taken by the Government in the case thoroughly.
Punia on the day visited Baliguda in the district and met the families of the deceased.
“There was no injury either to the security forces. Generally, when a crossfire occurs, people engaged in the drive from both the sides sustain injuries. But here nothing such happened,” said Punia, adding that stern action should be initiated against the jawans.
He said, “The commission will summon the concerned officials to Delhi as part of its steps taken to prevent such incidents and also monitor the issue thoroughly,” said Punia.
It has been reported that three of the deceased belonged to the Scheduled Caste while the rest belonged to the Scheduled Tribe.
Meanwhile, the National Commission for Human Rights (NHRC) has sought report from the Union Home Ministry and the State Government about the incident within two weeks.
ON Wednesday, the National Commission for Scheduled Tribe Chairman and his team also visited Baliguda and was critical of the security forces.
In another development, a team of BJP MPs comprising national vice-president Binoy Sahashrabuddhe and national secretaries Jyoti Dhrube and Ram Bichar Netam would visit the State on Friday to conduct an inquiry into the Kandhamal firing incident.
The team would arrive here at 1.15 pm and go to Phulbani directly. The team would spend the night there and visit the firing incident site at Gumudumaha and meet family members of all the deceased.
Former MlAs Pratap Sarangi and Siddharth Sekhar Singh Mardaraj, party’s State secretary Sisir Gamang and executive member Sukant Panigrahi would join the national team at Kandhamal.
The team would submit its report before national president Amit Shah, a party release said.