Villagers in Orissa go on dharna after Maoist threat

Residents of five villages who left their homes following Maoist threats today went on a dharna in K.balang town in Orissa's Sundergarh district.

The villagers of Mahupada, Langalakata, Jharbeda, Sanbalijore and Rehlatur in Koida block were threatened to cooperate or face death penalty by the Maoists, police sources said.
 
The threat came after the village heads including ward members and local sarapanch approached the Bonai sub-collector
with the complaint that Maoists assaulted a 45-year-old man, Harekrushna Singh, of Mahupada village suspecting him to be a
police informer, on Thursday night, the sources said.

SDPO, Bonai, Sudarshan Sethi, who rushed to K.Balang along with additional forces last night said the villagers were assured of security and steps were being taken to persuade them to return home.