Subject: Excess police torture on Dangaria Tribals
Date: 13.08.2010

To
Shri K.G. Balakrishnan,(Former CJI),
Hon’ble Chairman,
National Human Rights Commission,
Faridkot house, Copernicus Marg,
New Delhi-110001.

Subject: - Excess police torture on Dangaria tribals.

Respected Sir,

I, Sidharth Nayak a resident of Bhawanipatna district Kalahandi, is a practicing lawyer and the chairman of Green Kalahandi.

Here I want to register my strong protest against excess committed by the

police near Lanjigarh in the district of Kalahandi, Odisha on 9th August, 2010.

That on 9th August, 2010 I along with my friends named Kumuti Majhi,

President Niyamgiri Surakshya Samiti, Lanjigarh, and Uttam Kumar Bohidar a

social activist from Lanjigarh was coming from Trilochanpur a Gram Panchyat head quarter 10 km away from Lanjigarh police station. Along with us Lado Sikaka, Sana Sikaka & five ladies of village Lakhapadar, all belong to Dangaria Kondh, community a primitive tribe were coming in two vehicles to catch the train at Kesinga. It was because we all were to attend a national consultation seminar on forest right in Niyamgiri hill area at Constitution Club, New Delhi on 12th August, 2010.

That on the way near Isrupa village at about 3 pm we were obstructed by around 15 gun men loaded with small and big arms stopped our vehicle and threatened us with dire consequences. They also manhandled the drivers and

put the pistol on my forehead and two of our friends. They snatched away our mobile phone and keys of our vehicles. On gun point, forcefully they took away two of the tribal friends named Lodo Sikaka and Sana Sikaka and left the place with unnumbered vehicles.

That we were terrified, depressed and out of fear we send back the tribal ladies to their villages by foot. All the Dangaria Kondhs of Niyamgiri for whom the seminar was being conducted at Delhi were forced to stay back.

That as it was a dense forest and no way to communicate outside we were forced to be stranded there till late night. In between one of our friend went by walk to Lanjigarh contacted one mechanic and came at about 10 pm.

The mechanic unlocked the vehicle and at last we left the place at 11 pm.

That after reaching Lanjigarh police station we lodged an FIR against the

unknown gun men.

That after one day we came to know that those gun men were police people.

We pray your good office to enquire upon the happenings and accesses

committed by those so called police people as we treat it a human right

violation.

With regards,

Yours faithfully,
Sidharth Nayak
Chairman,
Green Kalahandi,
Bhawanipatna,
Dist-Kalahandi,
Odisha.