The members of Chasi Mulia Adivasi Sangha forcibly entered the police station with their traditional arms demanding withdrawal of the CRPF housed in the police station. The police had to fire in retaliation in which three people were killed.
THREE TRIBALS were killed and about 15 sustained bullet injuries in police firing at Narayanapatna in Koraput district in front of a police station, according to official sources.
Out of fear all shops, government offices, schools, banks closed today at Narayanapatna. The incident took place today when the tribals belonging to Chasi Mulia Adivasi Sangha were protesting the police combing operation and deployment of CRPF in Narayanapatna inside the police station premises. The members of Chasi Mulia Adivasi Sangha forcibly entered the police station with their traditional arms demanding withdrawal of the CRPF housed in the police station. Finding no other alternative the police in self defence opened fire in which three tribal people died. The Bar Association President, Nihar Ranjan Patnaik, who has been appointed by the government as an advocate to look after tribal land dispute cases said that the firing itself took place in the absence of the Magistrate which is illegal.
Narayanapatna Block is about 80 km from the district headquarter Koraput. The Superintendent of Police Dr. Deepak Kumar was not available over telephone.
One of the three tribals who was killed in the incident has been identified as Singanna, which was confirmed by District Collector Gadadhar Parida. Singanna was commandant of Ghenua Bahini, who was looking after collecting intelligence and the law and order problems of Chasi Mulia Adivasi Sangha, Narayanapatna. His death is a great loss for the Chasi Mulia Adivasi Sangha the tribals said.
