27 October 2010

Leader of Opp flays Dabugaon MLA's arrest

October 27, 2010 4:15:07 AM PNS | NABARANGPUR After the arrest of Dabugaon MLA Bhujabal Majhi on Sunday for allegedly beating up Kosagumuda BDO and later admitted at the District Headquartres Hospital (DHH) after receiving complaints of chest pain, Leader of the Opposition Bhupinder Singh visited Nabarangpur on Monday and interacted with Majhi, State Youth Congress president and local MP Pradeep Majhi and Congress leaders of the district at the DHH here. After discussion, Singh said that it was most unfortunate that the Kosagumuda BDO ignored the MLA during the inauguration of SHG Conference Hall building at Taragaon. As per rules, the local MP, MLAs, ZP president and block chairman, who are the elected representatives, should be invited and their names should be mentioned in the plaques during the inauguration, Singh asserted. MP Majhi alleged that the officials of the district were acting like the office-bearers of the ruling BJD even though Nabarangpur, Malkangiri and Koraput Collectors have already been requested on October 10 to issue instructions not to ignore the public representatives during government functions who play a key role in implementing the policies and programmes of the Government and overall development of the areas. Among others PCC vice-president Sadan Nayak, former Minister Parama Pujari, former Minister Habibulla Khan, Junagada MLA Dusmant Nayak, ZP president Bhagirathi Nayak, PCC secretary Muna Tripathy, district youth Congress president Bhima Harijan were present.

Dabugaon MLA Bhujabal Majhi held for ‘beating'

NABARANGPUR: Dabugaon MLA Bhujabal Majhi was arrested last night for allegedly beating up Kosagumuda BDO Dhanurjaya Hembram and ransacking the block office. According to reports, Information Technology Minister Ramesh Majhi inaugurated an SHG conference hall at Kotagaon village in the block yesterday. The plaque of the new building did not have the name of Congress legislator Majhi, although he represents the area. After the Minister’s departure, there was a conflict between irate Congressmen led by Majhi and BDO Hembram over the issue. In an FIR, Hembram claimed that some Congress activists had allegedly beaten him up and locked him in his office chamber. He was later rescued by his staff and admitted to a hospital. Receiving information, District Collector Sivabrata Dash and SP Prafulla Barik visited the spot and confirmed Majhi’s involvement in the incident. Following this, police arrested Majhi but had to admit him to the district headquarters hospital after he complained of chest pain. The SP said that other accused include the Chairperson of the block Dasami Randhari, block Congress president Dharmu Singh, former Zilla Parishad member Sanjib Bisoi, are all absconding. On the other hand, Majhi alleged that the BDO had misbehaved with him. Stating that the name of Majhi should not have been omitted, Congress MP and State Youth Congress president Pradeep Majhi said the officials were acting like the office-bearers of the ruling BJD. “The officer concerned is responsible for the incident,” he said. The Congress and the BJD in the district are now at loggerheads over the issue. Demanding immediate release of Majhi, Congress workers led by ZP president Bhagirathi Naik blocked NH-201 at Papadahandi disrupting communication to Umerkote and Bhawanipatna. Similarly, the BJD workers called for a bandh at Kosagumuda demanding resignation of block Chairperson Dasami Randhari and arrest of all the Congressmen involved in the incident.

Dabugaon MLA’s arrest unfortunate: Cong

October 26, 2010 9:49:44 AM PNS | Bhubaneswar Dabugaon Congress MLA Bhujabal Majhi has represented the constituency repeatedly in the State Assembly. He is amiable and people-friendly leader. The officers and the Tribal Minister Ramesh Majhi are responsible for the BDO’s humiliation in the Kosagumuda block, the Congress alleged. In any inaugural ceremony, the local MLA’s presence is mandatory. If he is not present it is binding that his name should be there in the plaque. These were ignored by the district Collector, Superintendent of Police and the BDO. It is unfortunate that if the Minister had wanted he could have solved the problem. However, he ignored this and carried out the inauguration. Bhujabal Majhi was not present at the spot and he was no way involved in the vandalism at the block office. In spite of this, the police arrested him which is highly condemnable and the State is on the reverse mode before its doomsday, said PCC vice – president Shibananda Ray, chief spokeperson Arya Jnanendra, spokeperson Ashok Samal and State Mahila Congress president Asima Mahananda. Govt asks DM to submit report October 26, 2010 9:48:21 AM PNS | Bhubaneswar The State Government on Monday asked the Nabarangpur Collector to submit a report on BDO’s assault case of Koshagumuda Block. Speaking to reporters at the State Secretariat, Panchayati Raj Minister Prafulla Samal said appropriate action would be taken against the Government officials after a report on the BDO’s assult case from the Collector is received. The Minister said the Kosagumuda incident is highly deplorable. He informed that local MLAs should be invited during inauguration of projects as per provision. “Koshagumuda incident has allegedly happened as the name of the MLA was not engraved in the plaque. It could have been changed if the legislator had complained”, Samal observed. He said he would take serious view on the invitation issues and instruct BDOs to strictly adhere to the provisions for inviting local MLA in the Government programmes, like inauguration of Government projects. On the other hand the Congress has alleged that the State Government is implementing different laws for MLAs belonging to different parties. “Recently an BJD MLA slapped a doctor at Nabarngpur, but no action was taken. But Bhujabal Majhi, the Congress MLA, who was not present at Koshagumuda Block when the BDO was assaulted, was arrested,” the working president of OPCC Lalatendu Bidyadhar Mohapatra said.

Maoists shoot police ‘informer at Kundei.

October 27, 2010
Pioneer News service

Maoists on Monday night shot dead an assistant (supervisor) of a contractor after branding him as police 'informer' at village Sambalpur near Kundei under Raighar block.

Gadadhar Singh Rajput, (32) was working as an assistant for a contractor Gulcha under Kundei police station. According to sources, Gadadhar who was residing at Kundei was dragged out of his house for about a km on Monday at about 8.45 pm by four Maoists. His family members searched for him frantically in the night but could not find him.

In the morning Gadadhar's body was found in front of a primary school at village Sambalpur with bullet injuries on his chest.

A poster found on the body accused Gadadhar of informing the police about their movements. He is survived by his wife and two teenaged sons and daughter. The police could reach the spot only 12 hours after the incident. This is the third such incident in the district since June 2010. Earlier two persons were killed after they were branded as fake Maoists. Later the Maoists had also attacked a police station. The district police seem to be totally unprepared and ill-equipped to combat the Maoist attack even though the police claim that forces are being deployed at strategic locations.