NHRC seeks report on Bhaliguda encounter

http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-otherstates/nhrc-seeks-report-on-bhaliguda-encounter/article4132650.ece

STAFF REPORTER

National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has asked for reports regarding encounter between security forces and Maoists on November 14 in Bhaliaguda Ganjam-Gajapati district border of Odisha.

Five killed

Five persons had were killed in the encounter. Manoj Jena, chairperson of an NGO named Human Rights Front (HRF) of Bhubaneswar had lodged a complaint regarding the encounter before the NHRC on November 15.

Mr Jena had also forwarded a copy of fact finding report by members of Odisha Sarvodaya Samaj (OSS) regarding the encounter. The OSS fact finding team had requested investigation of the matter by either the judiciary or the NHRC.

The NHRC has sent copies of the compliant from HRF along with the enclosures to the to the Director General of Police (DGP),

Inquiry

The NHRC has directed that the magisterial inquiry report, post-mortem report along with report of independent investigation had to be submitted to the Commission within eight weeks.

A copy of the complaint along with its enclosures was also sent to the Chief Secretary of Odisha government for taking appropriate action in reference to the grievances of the villagers raised in the fact finding report of the OSS.

Speaking to The Hindu, Mr Jena said he hoped intervention of the NHRC would reveal the truth behind the encounter in Bhaliaguda jungle.

Demonstration

Meanwhile social and human rights activists were planning for a demonstration before Raj Bhavan in Bhubaneswar on Nov 30 to press upon for a proper independent enquiry into the Bhaliaguda encounter.

The NHRC has sent copies of the compliant from HRF along with the enclosures to the to the Director General of Police

Probe Gajapati Maoists killing, report in 8 weeks: NHRC to DGP

http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhubaneswar/111156-probe-gajapati-maoists-killing-report-in-8-weeks-nhrc-to-dgp.html

The National Human Rights Commission directed the State Director General of Police (DGP) to take steps to undertake an independent investigation into the killing of five Maoists in a police encounter at Valiaguda in Gajapati district as per the NHRC guidelines and send the action taken report within eight weeks.

The Magisterial inquiry report, post-mortem report, along with report of independent investigation should be submitted to the commission within eight weeks, told a communiqué of the NHRC to the DGP taking cognizance of a complaint by NGO Human Rights Front, Bhubaneswar.

The complainant Manoj Jena, who is the chairman of the NGO, had drawn the attention of the NHRC to the death of the five ultras in a fake encounter with police in Gajapati district on November 14 last. He had also forwarded a copy of the fact finding report by the Odisha Sarvodaya Samaj, which had urged for a judiciary probe or by the NHRC.

Meanwhile, the commission received intimation from the State Government regarding the encounter death. The NHRC, pursuing the complaint on November 22 last, had also sent the copy of the complaint along with its enclosures to the District Magistrate and the Superintendent of Police of Gajapati to take appropriate action. According to the NHRC sources, the copy of the complaint along with its enclosures has also been sent to the State Chief Secretary for taking appropriate action in reference to the grievances of the villagers raised in the fact finding report of the Odisha Sarvodaya Samaj.