Commission raises question on role of local leaders, political

The Justice P K Mohanty Commission of Inquiry which probed the 2006 Kalinga Nagar police firing has raised question on the "role" of local leaders, political parties and NGOs behind the incident.
Thirteen persons were killed and 27 injured in the police firing on January 2, 2006. One police constable was also killed by the local people during the clash.
"Some local leaders, political parties and others taking advantage of the volatile situation mobilised, instigated and led the villagers to adopt path of confrontation instead of peaceful agitation," the commission said in its report which was tabled by the state government in the assembly today.

The report said that the violence was "triggered by frustration" among the local tribals who did not get adequate compensation following displacement and land acquisition for a private steel plant in the KNIIC.
On January 2, 2006, a large number of armed local people protested construction of the boundary wall on the land acquired for the project of a private steel company. The armed people faced off with some contractors employed by company on January 2, 2006.
As the protests intensified, local people clashed with policemen and during the incident a mob hacked constable Gopa Mohanty to death. As the situation went out of control, police opened fire killing 13 tribals.

The state government appointed Justice Pradyumna Kumar Mohanty to head the commission of inquiry on September 4, 2009 to inquire into the incident.

After completion of the inquiry, the Commission submitted its report to Government on July 3, 2015. After being examined in the Home Department, it was accepted by the Government on June 8, 2016.
The report has also made three recommendations - more compensation for the injured persons, people-oriented welfare schemes for the uplift of locals and jobs to at least one family member of persons who were killed in the incident.
The state government also tabled the action taken report (ATR) along with Justice P K Mohanty's report in the assembly.

The ATR said that action have already been taken at different levels which had been in line with the recommendations of the Commission.