Politicians make beeline for Gumudumaha

Bhubaneswar: Gumudamaha, a nondescript village under Baliguda block of Kandhamal district, has suddenly turned into a one-stop destination for politicians as they are heading to the modest dwellings of five gun-shot victims in anti-Maoist operation on Friday night.

While Odisha Congress chief Prasad Harichandan has already visited the village, state BJP President Basant Panda and a delegation of the ruling BJD headed by Transport Minister Ramesh Majhi today met the bereaved family.

"We expressed our sympathy to the victims' families and spoke to the family members. We will submit the report to the chief minister. Action will be taken against the persons responsible for the killings," Majhi, who headed the four-member BJD team of three ministers and a former MP, later told media.

After visiting the affected people, Panda said, "We will submit the report to the central leadership. Our party does not believe in doing politics. We believe in social service."

Panda said considering the situation, the saffron party had to call a bandh today.

Taking the Kandhamal incident seriously, BJP President Amit Shah has constituted a committee of three MPs which is likely to visit Gumudumaha village soon.

BJP party Vice-President Vinay Sahasrabuddhe, national secretaries Jyoti Dhurve and Ramvichar Netam were scheduled to visit the spot to probe the incident and submit a report at the earliest, a BJP release said.

Meanwhile, a team of National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST) headed by its Chairman Rameswar Oraon arrived in the state capital.

"We are on the way to the affected village in Kandhamal district. It is unfortunate that the poor and innocent tribals and dalits died during the anti-Maoist operation. Those responsible for the incident should be punished," he told reporters at the airport.

Leader of Opposition Narasingha Mishra said a delegation of Congress MLAs will visit Gumudimaha village on July 15.

Mishra demanded a high court monitored SIT probe into the incident.

Both BJP and Congress separately gave call for a 12-hour Kandhamal bandh protesting against the killings which caused outrage in the state.