Internet shutdown in Malkangiri extended by 12 hours; senior officials hold peace talks

The internet shutdown imposed in Malkangiri district has been extended by another 12 hours and will now remain in force until Thursday midnight. The restriction was introduced following tensions between MV-26 and Rakhelguda villages, where a long-standing land and sharecropping dispute escalated into violence.

Deputy Chief Minister K V Singhdeo, Minister Gokula Nanda Mallik, ADG Sanjeeb Panda, and South-Western Range DIG K V Singh have reached Malkangiri to hold discussions with both groups. The District Collector and SP are accompanying the senior officials. A series of peace meetings is scheduled to defuse tensions and restore normalcy.

Meanwhile, life is gradually returning to normal in MV-26. After the peace committee meeting, residents from both sides have started returning to their homes. To maintain law and order, 15 companies of central forces and 20 platoons of state forces have been deployed in the area.

The administration has provided cooked food and blankets to affected families, while officials are conducting a house-to-house damage assessment by marking each household. Preliminary findings indicate that the conflict stemmed from disputes over sharecropping arrangements and land ownership.

Questions have also been raised over alleged lapses by the police, particularly the delay in arresting the accused and recovering the severed head of the deceased woman, which reportedly intensified the clash between the two villages.

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As of the last reports, heavy security deployment and continued internet suspension stay in force, with authorities stating that the situation is now under control and that peace is gradually returning to the region.