CRPF jawans beat up panchayat man

BHUBANESWAR: Tension gripped Kandhamal after CRPF jawans beat up a panchayat samiti member who refused routine frisking. Two thousand villagers are now demanding removal of CRPF.

Netramani Pradhan was on his way to attend a peace meeting when CRPF men stopped him for routine frisking at Rudangia. But Pradhan reportedly did not cooperate with the jawans, who then beat him up severely. A grievously injured Pradhan was
admitted to a hospital.

As the news spread, over 2,000 people from nearby villages rushed to the relief camp where Pradhan was kept and gheraoed it. Kandhamal district collector Dr Kishan Kumar rushed to the spot to take stock of the situation. The agitators demanded immediate withdrawal of CRPF from the area.

But the administration is taking no chances. Ahead of Christmas, it has sought another three companies of Rapid Action Force and two units of Orissa Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF). “We have divided the district into 39 segments. Thirty-nine
companies of police force have been deployed. Night patrolling and frisking of vehicles have been intensified,” said SP Praveen Kumar. Security has been provided to all churches, he added.

In yet another development, over 2,000 youths participated in a communal harmony meeting  where they pledged to work for peace.