Even after 24 hours, suspense still continues over the alleged kidnapping of eminent social and environmental activist, Prafulla Samantara. Samantara went missing from his hotel room in Rayagada on Tuesday afternoon and was found at his home in Berhampur later in the evening.
Who and why Samantara was abducted? Neither the police have issued a statement nor has any response been received from any company. Under such circumstances, the social and environmental activist has slammed the silence of the entire police administration and targeted the Odisha government by terming his abduction as ‘state terrorism.’
At a presser in Bhubaneswar, Samantara targeted Odisha Police and alleged that he was treated like a private goonda.
“Yesterday’s incident was a clear case of state terrorism by the government for corporate interest. There has been a breach of my rights and I need justice as there has been mental and physical torture,” he said.
Samantara said that he has sent the FIR through speed post and if police are not involved, they must investigate who was behind the incident. It is pertinent to mention here that Samantara was in Rayagada to attend a press meet organised by Youth Congress yesterday. But before the press meet started, he went missing from the hotel, where he was staying.
As per reports, some unidentified persons came to the hotel room in the afternoon and took him away at around 3:30 p.m. yesterday.
According to Samantara, his hands were tied and his mouth gagged and he was taken in a car from Rayagada and dropped in Berhampur. Samanatara alleged that the state government is acting as a puppet in the hands of some companies.
“Why the Odisha government is not sharing details on the expenses incurred during 5T Secretary's visits. The government should not be a puppet in the hands of companies,” Samantara alleged.
Amidst such confusion and accusations, the question remains as to why Samantara was picked before the press conference? Was Samantara planning to expose the torture of innocent people by the Odisha government in the name of industrialization?
It is worth mentioning that in Rayagada, public resentment is brewing in Sungeru of Kashipur block under the proposed Sijimali mines area. Police had picked up 21 persons for raising voices against a construction company and a press conference was reportedly called on that matter. Samantara was scheduled to attend the presser yesterday. But it is alleged that police in plain clothes picked him up before the presser.
“Police and company officials are visiting here and they are picking up people. We are not going anywhere out of fear,” alleged Pabitra Nayak, a local resident.