Kandhamal deaths: Police body warns against hasty action on SOG jawans

Cuttack: Odisha Police Officers’ Association today threatened to launch an agitation if action is taken against Special Operations Group (SOG) personnel involved in the Kandhamal incident on Friday that left six tribals, including a 15-month old baby, dead, before the probe is over.

At a press conference here today, the association said the SOG should not be held responsible until the probe gets over. They also demanded that the firing incident should not be politicized.

“The government has decided to probe the Kandhamal incident. If anything is done arbitrarily prior to the outcome of the probe, we will launch an agitation. We lend our full support to the SOG jawans. The association will not tolerate any hasty move taken out of grudge,” association president Anup Kanungo said.

Notably, six people lost their lives and many were injured near Krutamagada in Kandhamal district while returning to their village in an auto after collecting their wages under MGNREGA due to the indiscriminate firing by security personnel who were on an anti-Maoist operation.