The Malkangiri police picked up and detained 15 people on Sunday night protesting an alleged fake encounter by blocking National Highway at Katameta in the district. The detained villagers included a local leader named Sharat Buruda.
As per reports, the villagers blocked the Highway alleging a fake encounter by police which took place at Ramagiri forest under Baipariguda police limits on November 10 that reportedly saw killing of two ultras and recovery of arms and ammunitions from the Maoist hideout.
The villagers alleged that one of the deceased, Dhana Kumar from Malkangiri’s Sargiguda village was in fact a ganja peddler and was working under a local Ganja mafia before getting killed by being branded as Maoist.
The locals demanded impartial probe by the investigative agency and appropriate compensation to the family.
However, tension mounted in Katameta when the cops picked up 15 of the protesters and detained them at the police station.
It is pertinent to mention here that two ultras were reportedly killed in an exchange of fire between the Maoists and Police at Ramagiri forest on November 10.
Meanwhile, Maoist leader and spokesperson of Malkangiri-Koraput border division has released an audio tape refuting reports about death of two Maoists in the encounter. He further called for Koraput-Malkangiri bandh on Nov 18.
(Reported By Jeetendra Beura, OTV)