SOG members' guns used in Kandhamal encounter to be tested

Additional Director General of Police of Human Rights Protection Cell (HRPC) Mahendra Pratap today said the guns used by Special Operation Group (SOG) jawans during the anti-Maoist operation in Kandhamal on July 8 will undergo forensic test.
This is needed because, the SOG has been claiming that the five persons including women and a child died in the firing by Maoist ultras and not by them, the ADGP said.
Besides, National Commissions for Scheduled Tribes and Scheduled Castes, after meeting the victims' families, had alleged the five died due to firing by SOG jawans and not due to cross firing as claimed by the Odisha Police.

"The SIT will prepare a detailed report on the incident. The rifles used by the security forces need to undergo a forensic test. It will become clear which side the firing was from only after such a test," Pratap said.
Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on July 11 had announced a SIT probe by the Human Rights Protection Cell into the Kandhamal firing.
Pratap, who will supervise the SIT investigation, said an SP level officer will head the investigation and other officers will be there to assist him.
He said SIT members will soon visit the spot and meet the family members of the victims, the injured persons and also interrogate the jawans involved in the incident.

The SIT comprises Gurudas Kundu, SP of the HRPC as the Investigating Officer, Ramachandra Gouda, Sadananda Guha, A. Patnaik, Nirupama Sethy and Bijay Bal.