Freedom fighter Mohammed Baji dead

Eminent freedom fighter Mohammed Baji died at his residence at Sunari Sahi in Nabarangpur Thursday, family sources said.

He was 103.

He was born on January 20, 1917 and was a bachelor, the sources said.

A close associate of tribal civil rights activist Laxman Nayak, Baji was injured in police firing during the 1942 movement when 29 tribals were killed while protesting before the Mathili police station in Malkangiri district.

He had joined the Indian National Congress in 1936, the year Odisha became a separate province on the basis of language.

He also joined the Quit India Movement and was held on August 19, 1942. He spent nearly five years in jail before he was released on June 25, 1947.

After the freedom struggle, Baji was active in the Sarvodaya movement. He was the chairman of Utkal Gandhi Smarak Nidhi and a close associate of Utkal Sarvodaya Mandal.

Baji lead padayatras at Nabarangpur for the restoration of peace aftwer the demolition of the Babri Masjid and again after the communal riot in Kandhamal in 2008.

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and many other leaders condoled the death of Baji.