Mrunal Manmay Dash

Malkangiri: After the PLGA weak restrictions, an absurd warning from the red rebels greeted the locals of Orapadar village under Andrapali Panchayat in Malkangiri’s cut-off area today, forbidding them to use mobile phones.

The ‘Fatwa’ came in the form of a writing on a board which states that whoever uses a mobile phone without consent from the group will be prosecuted in the ‘praja court’, a kangaroo court operated by the extremists.

Talking to OTV, former DGP of Odisha, Bipin Bihari Mishra said, “It’s a ploy to incite fear among the public. The intensified security operations in the recent past have forced the red rebels to take back seat.”

Condemning the warning, Mishra further said, “It’s totally unconstitutional. Today they have warned not to use mobiles, and if we don't put a check, tomorrow they may warn not to marry too. This menace needs to be dealt with brute force.”

“It seems the LWEs (Left Wing Extremists) have resorted to this after resentment against them grew a lot in recent times seeing people not hesitating to inform the police about their movements. Without a mobile phone, informing the police would be hard,’ added Mishra.

Notably, the cut-off area that was very fondly named as ‘Swabhiman Area’ by CM Neveen Patnaik after inauguration of Gurupriya Bridge, witnessed many uprisings by the local tribes demanding basic amenities in their area.

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