Bhubaneswar: Congress MP Pradeep Majhi on Friday began hunger strike in front of Raj Bhavan to demand handing over of five tribal youths, who went missing from police custody, to their respective families.
Majhi, who has been on a dharna at the Raj Bhawan since Wednesday demanding action against the SDPO, Malkangiri for his alleged role in the disappearance of one Trinath Samrath, a native of Narayanguda in the district, today announced launching of indefinite fast for the cause.
Earlier, the Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) in a memorandum to the Governor had sought his intervention to trace Samrath, who has gone missing after being arrested on theft charges on April 23, 2013 last year.
According to a Congress fact finding team, headed by Ganeswar Behera, which visited Samrath village on January 28 this year, the victim was allegedly beaten up by police and is suspected to have died in police custody.
The party alleged that the local police attempted to hush up evidence on Samartha.
Majhi said he had received complaints from at least five tribal families whose relations went missing after being arrested by police.