Other States - Orissa

One killed in police firing

BERHAMPUR: A person was killed and another was seriously injured when personnel of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) opened fire on them near Kutuniganda village under Adaba police station in Gajapati district during an anti-naxal combing operation on Saturday night.

It sparked off a controversy. Locals claimed the victims of police firing were innocents while the police stuck to the point that they were part of a naxal team being tracked by them. Tension mounted in the area. A mob gheraoed the Adaba police station.

They did not let the body of Junesha Raita, the victim of police bullets to be handed over to the police for post mortem.

They also kept the Berhampur-Rayagada road blocked. The road blockade and gherao of police station continued till late evening. They demanded compensation for the family member of the deceased. But on Saturday night the man injured by police bullet, Colnel Badaraita was shifted to the MKCG medical college hospital for treatment. He had bullet wound on his neck. He said he was innocent and police had fired at him and Junesh while they were searching for their cattle in the jungle. But the police team had a contrasting point of view.

The inspector in charge of Adaba police station, D.Cheiro said the CRPF team had to fire as shots were fired at them by a group of suspected naxals. According to him although Junesh and Colnel did not fire yet their armed associates were firing at police, which was retaliated with counter fire.

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