Shah forms committee over Kandhamal killings

BJP President Amit Shah today constituted a committee of three MPs to look into the killing of five tribals in Kandhamal as the party rejected the Odisha police' claim that they were killed in a crossfire involving Maoists and demanded a probe by a High Court judge.
Shah has asked party vice president Vinay Sahasrabuddhe and national secretaries Jyoti Dhurve and Ramvichar Netam to visit the spot to probe the incident and submit a report at the earliest.
Dhurve and Netam are tribal leaders and Members of Parliament.
The saffron party has seized on the issue to target the Naveen Patnaik government and broaden its base in the tribal region which has been in news earlier for violence.

Its general secretary and the state in-charge Arun Singh said, "Our MLAs had visited the place today and we had called for a bandh in Kandhamal yesterday. What has happened is an absolute failure of the government and responsibility lies with the Chief Minister as he also holds the charge of home ministry.
"Five tribals, including two women and a child, were shot by cops when they were travelling in an auto. There was no checking, no identification and they were killed. A serving High Court judge should be asked to conduct a judicial probe," he said.

Five persons, including two women and a child were killed and five others injured in cross fire during an anti-Maoist operation in Kandhamal district on July 9.

The region has seen several cases of violence over the years, including murders of Swami Lakshmanananda Saraswati and his disciples in 2008 and then riots, in which mostly Christians were targeted.
BJD had subsequently broke up its alliance with BJP. The saffron party has sensed an opportunity to emerge as a principal challenger to the regional outfit following its impressive performance in the Lok Sabha polls and perceived decline of Congress.