Police officials blamed for escalating Orissa violence

(September 17, 2009) According to A.K. Upadhyay, Deputy Inspector General (Trainer) in the Biju Patnaik state Police Academy, the situation in the tribal-dominated district worsened because the officers’ neglected to take appropriate and timely measures to check violence. The officers, including even the state’s former police chief, held responsibilities for Kandhamal at various times in the past two years. Upadhyaya has written to the state’s current Director General of Police Manmohan Praharaj to withdraw police medals awarded to some of these officers. Upadhyaya, a 1976 IPS officer, also wants the 13 officers to submit their reports to the Justice Sarat Chandra Mohapatra Judicial Commission that is enquiring into the Kandhamal violence. He noted Deshraj Meena, who was the Additional Director General, had gone to Kandhamal on Dec. 25, 2007 after the first round of violence in Kandhamal. He visited the district again after the second round of violence that started on Aug. 24, 2008, following the killings of Swamiji and his four associates by Maoists. Several other police officials either refused to visit the place or refused to take the necessary action. Shayam Sundar Hansda was the top police official in Balliguda where Sister Meena was raped on Aug 25, 2008. Hansda did not allow the police to lathi charge the crowd that attacked the nun and her companion, Father Thomas Chellan. “It is not appropriate for these officers to escape their responsibilities by shifting the blame on the local police personnel and officers,” Upadhyay asserted.