There are ample proofs to confirm that no exchange of fire had occurred between the policemen and Naxalites in Kandhamal district on July 8 night and the five innocent tribals had been killed by indiscriminate firing by the security personnel without any reason, claimed a joint fact-finding team of human rights and political activists.
The Odisha Police continue to claim that an auto-rickshaw carrying 16 tribals had come in between during an exchange of fire between them and the Naxalites, which led to the deaths and injury to the civilians. This fact-finding team -- comprising of Odisha Campaign Against Fabricated Cases (CAFC) convenor Narendra Mohanty, Bharat Janmanch national committee member Mahendra Parida, CPI-ML (New Democracy) State spokesperson Bhala Chandra Sarangi and civil rights activist Tapan Mishra -- had reached on July 10 and made an on-the-spot enquiry and collected evidences as well as statements of eyewitness and victims.
Speaking to The Hindu , they alleged that claim of exchange of fire was false and it hinted that attempts were on to suppress the reality as well as to save the erring police personnel.
Mr Sarangi added that they had found bullet marks on single side of the autorickshaw, which clearly showed that firing had occurred from that side only. As per this fact-finding team, there were 23 bullet marks on one side of the autorickshaw, which proves that firing was indiscriminate. They alleged that as per eyewitnesses, the police personnel had indiscriminately fired more than 100 rounds at the auto and its passengers within a few minutes. “As per the police, during their so-called exchange of fire with the Maoists, the ultras were positioned at a height but the bullet marks are on the lower part of the autorickshaw,” they alleged.
As per them, attempts of the police to mislead future enquiries had started from July 9. “On July 9 morning, a team of Special Operation Group (SOG) personnel of the Odisha Police had reached the spot to search and take away the cartridges of bullets fired by them to suppress the evidences,” alleged Mr Mohanty.
