Kui Samaj demands withdrawal of central force in Kandhamal

Bhubaneswar, Oct 14 (UNI) Kui Samaj, an organisation fighting for the interests of the tribals in Kandhamal district, today demanded the government to withdraw the central forces posted in Kandhamal forthwith.

Kui Samaj coordination committee general secretary Lambodar Kanhar said during the past few days police excess had reached its peak and around 400 innocent tribals had been arrested.

Addressing a meeting of the committee at Phulbani attended by the functionaries of three Kui tribal bodies - Nikhil Utkal Kui Samaj (G Udaygiri), Kui Samaj Seva Samiti (Phulbani) and Kuikula Samiti (Baliguda), he said such steps would only aggravate the situation.

Mr Kanhar said the tribals had assured to cooperate with the government to solve the problems and restore normalcy but the government had been resorting to largescale arrest of innocent people under the pressure of the Central government and minority bodies to make a false projection of its action.

Meanwhile, three people arrested by the Crime branch police in Palghat in Kerala in connection with the rape of a nun in Kandhamal on August 25 last were brought here today.

Mitu Pattnaik, Suraj Ghadei and Muna Ghadei all the three had fled to Kerala with a local contractor after the incident.

The Crime branch had so far arrested eight people in connection with the incident.

The nun, however, remained untraced after lodging an FIR with the Baliguda police station. Police had been trying unsuccessfully to trace her out and start the legal process.

With the situation in the trouble-torn Kandhamal returning to normal, the ruling BJD was organising a peace march tomorrow.

Party supremo and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and some senior party functionaries are expected to participate in the march.

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