Innocents harassed, tortured in Kandhamal-HJS

Bhubaneswar, Sep 29 (UNI) Hindu Jagaran Samukhya(HJS) President Ashok Sahu today accused the Naveen Patnaik government of adopting 'discriminatory and motivated' action to suppress innocent Kandhas in trouble-torn Kandhamal district for political interest.

Mr Sahu, who led an HJS delegation to the strife-torn Kandhamal district, told newspersons here that a ''reign of terror had been unleashed'' in the district leaving nine Kandhas dead in police firing and hundreds, including women and minors, injured.

He said the administration was initiating action to 'satisfy' the Union government which had sent an advisory under Article 355 and the Supreme Court's directive issued in response to a petition.

Mr Sahu said the government failed to arrest the killers of VHP leader Laxamananda Sarswati and four of his disciples even 36 days after the incident but so far ''killed'' nine Kandhas who have reacted to the killing of Swamiji.

The innocent Kandhas, he alleged, were being arrested on false charges, beaten mercilessly and criminally confined. Even children and women were not being spared, he added.

Citing an example, Mr Sahu said one Sunita Pati, mother of four minor children, was among those detained and tortured by the police without any reason.

The militants belonging to the minorities, he alleged, were making country-made bombs and explosives at Gughari but no one dared to hand them over to the police.

Mr Sahu said police firing at Kurtamgarha on September 13, in which six people were killed, could have been avoided had police not arrested innocent Kandhas and sent them to court.

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