A fact finding team consisting of members from the National Confederation of Human Rights Organisations (NCHRO) and the Campaign against Fabricated Cases (CAFC) on Tuesday alleged that many innocent primitive tribals of the Niyamgiri Hills have been killed on their own land for the State Government’s benefit.
The national-level human rights fact finding team visited a number of villages and people victimised of State atrocities in Rayagada, Kandhamal and Kalahandi districts.
Three Adivasi people of Nisanguda village under the Bhawanipatna police limits were killed by the Special Operation Group (SOG). Besides, many other killings and arrests happened adjacent to Kandhamal district in 2015, they alleged.
They too alleged that Drika Kadraka, an Adivasi activist of Ambadhuni village under the Muniguda police limit, has been picked up by SOG.
The team demanded a CBI inquiry into the ‘fake’ encounter of Manda Kadraka on February 27.
“A special investigation team (SIT) should be formed to investigate the killings and disappearances of the Adivasi people,” urged NCHRO chairperson Prof Amarx Marx.
He too demanded that all paramilitary forces be withdrawn from the Niyamgiri Hill area to ensure safety to Adivasis.
The Government should ensure implementation of the Gram Sabha decision of 2013 and declare Niyamgiri as a mining-prohibited zone on the background of the historic verdict by the Supreme Court on May 6, 2013, demanded CAFC Convenor Narendra Mohanty.