RDC starts probe into 2015 Namatara police firing incident

The Revenue Divisional Commissioner (RDC) today began a probe into alleged police excesses on anti-liquor agitators, particularly women, at Namatara village in Rajkanika block of Kendrapara district in March, 2015.
Nine persons, including women and children, had sustained serious injuries as the police were accused of resorting to firing on unarmed campaigners. Alleged police excesses had triggered a statewide public outcry.
The beleaguered government had ordered an inquiry by the RDC into the police firing on March 12, 2015, four days after the incident.
"The principal focus of the ongoing inquiry would be to ascertain whether the law-enforcing agencies had perpetrated excesses during the people's movement against illicit liquor," said RDC (Central), A B Otta.

As part of the phase-wise inquiry, statements of people who sustained bullet and other injuries were recorded.
The process of statement recording of the victims, activists of the anti-liquor movement and people's representatives from the area would continue in Kendrapara district headquarters till August 27.
Later the statements of the police and administrative officials officiating then at Kendrapara and Rajkanika would be recorded. The probe findings would be submitted to the government three weeks after the inquiry ends, the RDC said.
The inquiry would look into the people's allegations that the local administration had declared the assembly as unlawful though they had obtained prior permission for a rally against growing alcoholism in the area.