Bolangir in flame after police van killed a student

Bolangir town of Orissa was once again in fire after the situation went beyond the control of the district administration on Saturday when a police van killed Sakti Prasad Mohanty, a student of SITE (Susree institute of technical education) hitting his motor bike. The incident sparks severe tension in the town as students of the institution took law in their hands started vandalism in the town demanding action against the erring driver of the van.

Sources said Sakti a student of SITE was killed on the road after his bike hit with a police van on Saturday afternoon. He was declared dead when students and local took him to the hospital. The irate students blaming the police responsible for the death of their colleague started scolding the police present in the hospital. The situation turned violent when police resorted to lathi charge on them, sources said. Several students got injured the situation became uncontrolled. Irate students along with locals torched several vehicles including government buses. They also set fire on several trucks passing through the road. Irate mob set fire in the local police station protesting the police action. By evening Bolangir town was in flame. IG (NR) YB Khurania rushed to Bolangir to assess the situation. Police deployed armed forces and proclaimed 144 in the town. "situation has been brought under control and every thing is normal now" Khurania told on Sunday.

But violence spread to other part of the region with the death of yet another student Sashikanta Panda while under treatment in VSS medical College hospital on the following day (Sunday). He was admitted in the hospital after sustaining serious injuries with police lathi charge. The death of the Sashi fueled the anger of the students.

The student congress and university students blocked the road in front of the Hospital alleging the death due to negligence of the treating doctor. They demanded compensation and action against the senior officials of Bolangir district to intensify the situation. "There was no negligence on the part of Doctors. he was given all type of treatment soon he was admitted on Sunday Morning. But unfortunately he died in the after-noon" , superintendent of VSS Hospital Dr. Gunasagar Dash told.

On the other hand Government declared for a judicial probe into the incident and a compensation of Rs. 5 lakhs to the family of deceased students in order to pacify the issue. But not withstanding with the decision the Government, congress (student wing) gives call to bandh western Orissa on Monday. "Government has declared to give Rs.5 lakhs to the family of the deceased student and to conduct judicial probe into the incident. so I do not see any reason to give bandh call", collector (Sambalpur) P K Patnaik told

It may be recalled that such a situation was occurred in Bolangir when a police van killed a local pedestrian in the town in last February. Than also the town was in flame.

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Sagarpali farmer death::Communist to give Dharna in front of Guv house

Communist party (CPI) believes farmers suicide incidents have a direct link with the crop damage and loan-burden Accusing the state government on the issue party had demanded proper compensation to the deceased family and to declare drought-hit to all non-irrigated area. In support to the farmer issue the party has decided to sit on Dharan in front of the governor’s house on 5^th Nov.

“We visited the various villages where farmers have committed suicide in both Jharsuguda and Sambalpur districts. We also met the agitating farmers at Jamenkira. Now we come to a conclusion that government has totally failed to safeguard the interest of the farmers and thus responsible for each incidents. Now we demand proper financial assistance to the deceased family and proper action to check any further incident with out going for further probe on the incident”, the state secretariat member of the Communist party Ashok Bisi told.

According to him since it has been crystal clear that farmers commit suicide after suffering heavy crop loss due to poor rainfall and attack of insects. “They have taken this step to get rid from the financial burden of loans both from cooperative and personals. So going for further enquiry will create unnecessary delay in dealing the situation”, Mr. Bishi told.

Party has decided to organize a Dharna in front of governor’s house on 5^th Nov in support of the farmer issue. “We will sit on Dharna in front of governor house under the banner of our mass organization Utkal Rajya Krusak Sangha to put forth our demand on the issue”, Bisi added

"we have decided to agitate on the issue till government takes a suitable action to check farmers' suicide in the state" vice-president of Utkal Rajya Krusak Sangha Khirod Singhdeo said.

BJD leaders deffer to government on farmers' issue

Even ruling BJD seems interested to take political mileage from the farmers’ suicide incident that has recently created much chaos in the political circle of the state. When various political parties criticized the government on such incidents, BJD does not leave any stone unturned to attract the people by giving statement against the government’s version. With out criticizing the government, the visiting party leaders give statements on the incidents that corroborates version of oppositions.

‘We visited Sagarpali and Khapsadera where two farmers had committed suicide. After visiting the places and verifying the circumstances, we convinced that the farmers took the ultimate steps due to heavy loss of crop. Crop loss leading to financials difficulties led the farmers to commit suicide” BJD leader Hamid Hussein told to the media after visiting the two places on Monday.

However they did not give any comment on the statement of the state agriculture minister that totally contracts to their statement. “We visit the places to assess the situation. We will submit our observation before the chief minister. So we have nothing to comment on the issue now” senior BJD leader and Rajya Sabha member Kishore Mohanty told.

The statement of the visiting BJD leaders has totally baffled the opposition leaders. When government and district administrations are on the opinion that such incidents have no linked with crop loss and cooperative loans, the visiting party leaders say farmers commit suicide due to crop loss due to insufficient rain and attack of insects. “This is totally a farce that going on in the state. When party leaders do not support the statement given by their minister, the minister has no right continue as a minister. So we demand the resignation of the minister” state BJP president Suresh Pujari told to TOI.

On the other hand the party’s alliance partner CPI has also does not forget to attack government on the issue. The state secretariat member Ashok Bisi in a press release attacking the derogative statement of the agriculture minister said it is quite unfortunate to give such a statement with out verifying the truth on the issue “After visiting the villages of the victims we come to a conclusion that farmers have sustained heavy financial difficulties due to crop loss leading them to commit suicide”, Mr. Bisi told

Meanwhile opposition congress has decided to make it a issue to attack the government in the coming session of the assembly. “Government has totally failed to safeguard the interest of the farmers of the state which has been proved from the continuous incident of farmers’ suicide. Instead of consoling deceased family government is trying to suppress the issue by citing the cause of suicide as family disturbances. We will drag the government on this issue in the coming assembly session” local legislature and congress leader Anup Sai told

another two farmers died with in 24 hours

When farmers of the region are ups in arms against government’s silence on farmers’ suicide due crop loss, another 2 farmers died allegedly by committing suicide with in last 24 hours has given a real blow to the government. With this the death toll in farmer suicide has gone up to 5 in the current kharif season. Though the cause of the recent suicide has not yet ascertained, the incident is enough to fuel the anger of the farmers. While one dies jumping before a running train in Sambalpur’s Bamra on Sunday the other one succumbed in mysteriously in Jharsuguda’s Piplikani village in wee hours of Monday. Police identified them as Angad Barik (65) of Gunduruchuan village of Sambalpur district and Amaredra Pradhan (40) of Piplikani.village in Jharsuguda district. Police sent the body for autopsy and registered cases of unnatural death in both incidents.

‘We recovered a suicidal note from the pocket of the deceased Angad who died killing himself before a running train in Bamra Rly station on Sunday. In the note he described that as he was suffering from an uncured disease he decided to kill self and no one was responsible for his death. We recovered the death body and sent for autopsy’, the officer of Jharsuguda Railway police said. The station is under Jharsuguda railway police limits.

Sources said, deceased Angad was having two sons. While elder one stays outside, he was living with younger in the village. He was having 12 acres of lands but due to poor rainfall he sustains heavy crop loss. He had taken cooperative loan of Rs. 25, 000/- in the name of his son. “Financial burden on one side and suffering from a mysterious disease on other side cripples his mental strength. So he decided to take such a decision”, younger son Debabrat Batik told

On the other hand Amrendra Pradhan (40) of Piplikani village under Banharpali police station of Jharsuguda district was a member of farmer’s family. Due to poor rainfall, his family sustained huge loss this year. “He was suffering from illness since two days. But we do not know how he died on this morning”, his brother Abinash Padhan told “When we found his dead body in a mysterious condition suspecting it a case of suicide we informed the police”, he added.

We sent the body for autopsy and registered a case of unnatural death. However we would ascertain the cause of the death only after receiving the PM report”, a senior police officer of Jharsuguda district told.

It may be informed that earlier on august 12th farmer Pandav Bhoi of Khamatikra ( under Katarbaga ps of Sambalpur) , on 4th Oct Gourahari patra of Sagarpali (under lakhanpur ps of Jharsuguda and on 7th Oct Bidyadhar Bag of Khapsadera (under Rengali ps of Sambalpur) have already committed suicide over severe crop loss. In all three cases deceased have consumed pesticide to kill themselves for similar reason , but government has yet to alert on this issue.

Farmers blocked NH 200 against government apathy

Movement of traffic came to a halt on NH 200 on Monday following road blockade agitation of farmers at Bhainrkhol chowck under Lakhanpur police station of Jharsuguda district. Thousands of farmers assembled on the spot to protest the government negative attitude on agriculture sector. They also decided to bring out a massive agitation incase government does not take appropriate step to protect the interest of the farmers.

“We consider farmers’ suicide deaths are having a direct link with the wrong agriculture policy of the state government. But instead of realizing the mistake, government is trying to suppress the issue by giving false statement. So we take up this agitation only to protest the government’s attitude”, Gopinath Majhi one of the convener of the agitation told.

The statement of the state agriculture minister and government officials on the farmer suicide has irked the farmers of the region. “Forget about the minister when district collector has not visited the village till date. But with out visiting or verifying the truth if they say suicide has no relation with crop loss one can understand their intension”, another convenor Jitendra Pradhan told .The agitated farmers demanded a compensation of Rs.2 lakhs to each deceased family committed suicide, amending the report of director declare Lakhanpur block as draught, consider panchayat as unit in crop insurance, waiving of loan taken in current Kharif season, free provision of seeds fertilizers and electricity for the ensuing crop, functioning of the lift points, irrigation facility from reservoir to Lakhanpur block.

“Apart from these demands, we have decided to bring out a massive agitation in Lakhanpur block of the Jharsuguda district in the near future to show the strength of the farmers of the locality”, Ananta Panda told

On the other hand political leaders including Hemananda Biswal, Suresh Pujari, local legislature Anup Sai and farmer leader Ashok Pradhan have extended their support to the agitated farmers by participating in the agitation that continued till 4 pm.

Sagarpali farmer death: an eye opening for farmers

The farmer’s death in Sagarpali village in Jharsuguda district seemed to be an eye opener for the farmers of the locality who have been suffering the injustice ever since the construction of the Hirakud dam. The farmers have decided to bring out a massive agitation against the government’s wrong policy and to start with the proposed agitation they are going to block the NH 200 at Bhainrkhol chowck on Monday from 8 am to 4 pm.

“It is really a matter of regret that farmer of our village dies committing suicide for crop loss due to poor rainfall. Surprisingly the village got reconstructed near the old-one after that was submerged in Hirakud reservoir. We reside on the bank of reservoir ever since the dam was constructed but due to wrong policy of the government we do not get reservoir water for irrigation”, a villager of Sagarpali, Bhaskar Pradhan told. “One can understand our sorrow of net getting the benefit of the dam where 70 percent of our village has been submerged. No one realizes the contribution that our forefathers”, Pradhan added.

Sources said, a farmer of the village Gurahari Patra died committing suicide on 4^th Oct following a heavy loss of crop due to poor rainfall and insects.

“He was farming seriously by taking cooperative loan of Rs. 20 thousand. But he was mentally upset after seeing heavy crop damages. He committed suicide consuming pesticide leaving his widow and 4 son and daughters” another villager Panchan Saa told.

According to him villagers become angry following the statement of the concern minister and district officials on the death of Gourahari. “When every one knows his death has a direct link with the crop loss, one should not give derogative statement on him with out verifying the truth”, villager Loknath Sahu opined.

Meanwhile, a team of state communist party visited the village to console deceased family on Sunday. Even becoming the alliance partner, the CPI demanded proper attention of the government on this issue. “We affirm the death was due to crop loss so with out making any delay in setting inquiry commission the CM Navin Patink should intervene the matter to prevent such cases in the state.”, state secretariat member Ashok Bishi told to TOI on Sunday. Surprisingly even 14 days after the incident, the collector has not visited the village to console the deceased family

locals irked over 'Samalai Hundi' thieve

Condemning regular theft from the Hundi of the famous maa Samaleswari temple, locals demand proper investigation to trace the culprits. A group of local youths under the banner of the Sambalpur Jagaran Manch submitted a memorandum to the district administration on Friday. They also asked the administration to provide regular police patrolling during night hours around the temple to ensure no further repetition of such incident.

“We are quite surprised on the repeated incident of theft from the temple Hundi Even godly places are not spared. So we submitted a memorandum to the district administration to trace out the culprits and to ensure proper security arrangement in the temple during night hours” Goutam Halder, the convener of the Manch told.

Sources said, Samaleswari temple of Sambalpur is quite famous in the locality as thousands of devotees visit the temple every day. But on special occasions, especially during ‘Dushhera’ the number goes up. Huge collections of donations are expected from devotes through the ‘Hundi’. But the managing trustee remains in dark about the exact collection of donation because of the regular theft incident. Miscreants decamp with money by breaking the lock of the ‘hundi’.

“We do not know the exact amount of collection from the Hundi because of theft. We make a complaint before the police every time it occurs but police are yet to trace the culprits. So we are planning to install close circuit camera inside the temple very soon’, president of the temple trustee Sadashiv Mohapatra told.

It may be mentioned here that miscreants decamped with huge sum from the ‘hundi’ breaking its lock just couple of days ago. Police registered a case basing on the complaint of the managing trustee but failed to trace the accused. “Investigation is on. But we are yet to find out the culprits”, town police officer Akash Sahu told. “It is a serious issue. I will personally request the SP to investigate the matter”, the ADM NK Satpathy assured the members of the Manch while receiving the memorandum from them of Friday.

girl chopped off her tongue to get 'choice' match

A 19-year-old girl chopped off her tongue inside a Shiva temple and offered it to the god at Jhar village in Bargarh. She did so to invoke the god's blessings to marry the person she desired instead of the match fixed by her parents. She narrated her story when the temple priest found her lying in the temple with blood on her face on Tuesday morning.

Sources said, the victim Renubala, daughter of Birabahu Naik of Khapanpali had gone to the Shiva temple of Jhar during late night to invoke the blessing of the god. She chopped off her tongue with a blade to offer it to lord Shiva. The temple priest was the first to discover her lying in a shocking condition inside the temple. Victim divulged her story when the priest enquired her condition.

"I was shocked to see her lying on the temple floor in the morning. She was bleeding from her face. She had chopped her tongue off with a blade and offered it to the god," priest of the temple Basudev Mohapatra told TOI.

Villagers rushed to the temple when the news spread. They tried to take her to the hospital but she refused. "We tried to take her to the nearby hospital but she refused to go anywhere," villager Narayan Meher said.

Even the police rushed to the spot and persuaded her to take her to hospital. But Police became powerless before her farm-faith on God. “Police went back after she declared stay inside the temple for a total 21 days’, another villager said.

Sources said the girl was against her marriage schedules in December because the groom was quite older to her. She was interested to marry a younger one. So she did this with a belief that she would get her choice match if she could please the God by offering her tongue.

police arrested two on the officer manhandled incident

Police arrested two local BJP leaders on Monday night in connection with the manhandled incident of deputy director (agriculture), Sambalpur. Police took this action soon after receiving a complaint from one of the subordinate staff of the victim officer. Both were sent to judicial custody after the magistrate rejected the bail plea.

Police sources said, two party leaders that took active part in the manhandled incident of the officer occurred in the Gangadhar mandap on Monday have been arrested soon after receiving a complint. The two are identified as Jaybrat Dey and Debasis Purohit. “We arrest Dey from his residence and Purohit from Zilla school chowck. We have sent them to judicial custody soon magistrate rejected their bail applications”. SDPO (Sambalpur) DK Deo told.

It may be mentioned here that angry mob led by BJP leader Jayabrat Dey manhandled the deputy director of agriculture DC Pal here at Gangadhar Mandap while the Krusak mela was under progress. The agitators had blacken the face of the officer and made him walk on the street. Police rescued him when the mob taken him to the office of collector. They alleged that the officer with out going to respective villages had prepared faulty report on farmers’ suicide.

Reacting on the arrest of party workers, the state BJP president Suresh Pujari said, agitation against injustice of farmers would continue in spite of the arrest of the workers. “Let police do their work”, Pujari said. Hinting on a full-fledged statewide agitation against the government’s anti-farmers policy, he said, “ BJP will bring out a strong agitation against the government’s anti-farmers policy very soon”

On the other hand the farmers association has warned the officials not to give any derogative statement on farmers suicide with out going into detail of the fact. The farmer leaders alleged that the Sambalpur Sub-collector Kailash Chandra Sahu had given derogative comments on the farmers’ suicide. But he left Sambalpur after hearing the incident of the deputy director. “He was supposed to convene the meeting of the Pani Panchayat was scheduled for on Monday afternoon. But sub-collector left Sambalpur before the scheduled time after hearing the incident of DDA”, farmer leader M Govindu told. “The officer was in target for giving derogative comments on the farmers suicide”, he added.

officer face was blackened over faulty report on farmer's suicide

In connection with the suicide of the farmers in Jharsuguda and Sambalpur in last week, enraged BJP workers manhandled and thrashed Sambalpur deputy director of Agriculture Mr. DC Pal on Monday at Gangadhar Mandap, here just minutes before inauguration of Krusak Mela-2009 where he was invited as a guest. The officer was made to walk on the street after painting black on his face. The officer was than rescued by the police at collector office. However no case was register by the police till evening in absent of any complaint from the officer. The mela which was continued with out any inauguration as all other dignitaries and senior government officers including collector and RDC did not turn up to the spot after the incident.

“We rescued him after he was taken to the collector office premises. When we got the information about the incident it was all over. However we prevented the mob at Gangadhar Mandap when they were creating vandalism to close the mela”, SDPO (Sambalpur) Dilip Kumar Deo told. However he denied of receiving any complaint from the officer about the incident. We are waiting for the complaint. We will investigate the issue once we receive complaint from the victim officer”, Mr. Deo added.

Sources said, the deputy director was entrusted by the government to submit a report on the suicidal deaths of two farmers who died in Jharsuguda on 4^th Oct and in Sambalpur on 7^th October. The officer with out visiting the spots submitted reports where he citied the cause as ‘family dispute’.

“The DDA has submitted reports to the government citing deaths of farmers have no relation with the crop loss or agriculture loan. When every one knows that destruction of paddy is due to poor rain fall and attack of Leda poka, the officer misleads government by submitting false report just sitting in his office. So in order to teach him a lesson we did it”, a BJP worker told.

Incidentally a team of BJP high level leaders led by state president Suresh Pujari visited the Khapsadea village (Sambalpur district) on Monday where a farmer had committed suicide on 7^th October. The senior party leaders including Kharabela Swain, Monmohan Samal, Dharmendra Pradhan and Surendra Lath while expressing their anguish over the incident blamed the government for not showing any sympathetic attitude towards the farmers of the region. “Every one knows that this time heavy crop damage has occurred due to poor rainfall and attack insects. But if you misled the fact than you have to pay the price”, BJP president Suresh Pujari told signaling on the incident of Deputy Director of Agriculture. “However we do not approve the incident occurred in Sambalpur but these types of incidents are inevitable if government continues to neglect the agriculture sector” Pujari added.

college boy died drowning

In a drowning incident, a student of local NSCB College died in Maltijore nulla at Gunderpur under Dhama police station in Sambalpur on Thursday afternoon. The fire brigade and police fished out his body from the nulla soon after the incident. However the incident triggered wide spread tension among the local who blocked Dhanupali-Dhama road for few hours demanding compensation to the deceased family. Police sources said, 3 boys from Netaji Subash Chandra Bose college of Sambalpur had been to the Nulla in the noon taking bath. One named Saurav Dey (17) of Bengalipara of the town was drowned in the nulla because of the heavy water current. Agitators cleared the road after assurance given by the local police.

another farmer commited suicide: this time it is in Sambalpur

When the government machineries are busy to patch up Jharsuguda farmer’s suicide incident, yet another similar incident that occurs Sambalpur district on Wednesday evening has created a real hard time for the state government to over come the situation. In the recent incident a farmer of the khapsadera village under Tamperkela GP with in Rengali police station limits in Sambalpur district has committed suicide consuming pesticide after he fails to repay the loans. Sambalpur police registered a case and sent the body for autopsy on Thursday. With this death toll in farmers suicide has gone up to 3 in the region in the current session and it is 2^nd incident in Sambalpur district over the past 2 months.

“He was brought to hospital in a serious condition. Doctor declared him brought dead. We registered case and sent his body today for autopsy”, town police told TOI on Thursday.

Sources said, victim Bidyadhar Bagh (40) a farmer from tribal community of Khapsadera village under Tamperkela GP was cropping 3 acres land taking loan of Rs 15 thousands from co-villagers. He was mentally upset following severe loss in the paddy. On Wednesday evening consumed pesticide and died on the way to hospital.

Collector sectioned Rs. 3 thousands from Red Cross fund for his cremation and directed for an inquiry. “Sub collector and Tahasildar have been deputed to the spot to examine the situation. Action would be initiated once I get the report from my officers”, collector (Sambalpur) P K Patnaik told

On the other hand the incident sparks serious concern among the local farmers who accuse state government’s anti-farmer policy is responsible for such incident. “Blind industrialization and anti-farmer policy of the government force farmer to kill self.” Farmers’ leader Ashok Pradhan told.

It may mentioned here that 4 days back (4th Oct) a farmer committed suicide in Lakhanpur block of Jharsuguda district after he failed to repay the cooperative loans. But district administration at Jharsuguda and state agriculture department tried every way to patch up the matter citing ‘family disturbance’ led him to commit suicide. Earlier in August 11^th a farmer named Pandab Bhoi (40) had committed suicide in Gulamal village in Sambalpur district for similar reason, sources said

farmer killed self in Jharsuguda

Industrial growth may change the fate of few outside industrialist but it has failed to rescue the farmers of the state who are struggling for their survival. This has been proved from the incident occurred in the Jharsuguda district on Sunday when a farmers committed suicide consuming pesticide. Villagers claim he took the step as he failed to repay society loan owing to severe crop loss. Police registered a case of unnatural death but unable to recover the dead body because of the protest of the villagers who blocked the NH 200 demanding compensation. It was possible only when the revenue officials of the district rushed to the spot and assured the villagers for proper compensation to the deceased family. But due to sun shed police conducted autopsy on Monday.

Sources said, 48 years old Gourhari Patra of Sagarpali village under Bhaurkhol GP of Lakhanpur block in Jharsuguda district, 120 km away from here committed suicide by consuming pesticide on Sunday. He was rescued by the villager in a serious condition and taken to the Lakhanpur public Health Centre, where he was declared dead. The villagers blocked the national high way 200 at Lakhanpur demanding compensation to the deceased family. Police rushed to the spot but unable to recovered the dead body because of the protest of the villagers.

“We finally recovered the dead body of the deceased in the evening after the villagers called off their agitation on the assurance of the revenue officials present on the spot. We handed over the body to the deceased family after conducting autopsy on Monday”, a senior police officer of Jharsuguda district told.

Sources said, Low rain fail coupled with invasion of ledapoka (army insect) caused heavy crop damage in various parts of the western Orissa. Jharsuguda’s Lakhanpur block was one of the worst affected areas where farmers had brought the situation into the notice of district administration as well as the government on several occasions. “But neither the government nor the district administration puts any heed to our request”, a villager Narayan Majhi told.

According a source, deceased had taken agriculture loan of Rs. 20 thousand from the Bhaurkhol cooperative society and another few thousands from other co-villagers. He had assured to repay these loans after harvesting was over. But to his bad luck, he sustained a huge loss due to crop damage. Source also claimed that deceased was mentally upset because of the financial pressure for the expenditure of leutani (return of married daughter who comes during Dussehra). It may be informed that out of his 3 daughters 2 had already got married.

On the other hand the district administration has directed the subordinate official to submit a report on the death for further action. “I have asked the tahasilar to enquiry the incident. Action would be initiated once I get the report”, collector (Jharsuguda) D Dash told.

Meanwhile the farmer leaders blame the government for farmer suicidal death. They apprehend a worst situation in future if timely action is not initiated to rescue the farmers. “Blind industrialization and anti-farmer policy of the government force the farmers to kill self. Earlier Orissa was free from such incident but now the wrong policy adopted by state government would outnumber the death toll of Maharastra and Andhra Pradesh in near future”, farmer leader Ashok Pradhan told