Government should hold dialogue with Maoists'

Bhubaneswar, Feb 24: Several human rights organisations have urged the authorities in Orissa and the Central government to enter into a dialogue with the Maoists and other naxalites.

Addressing a press conference here on Sunday, the rights activists said a dialogue was necessary so that the current law and approach that was guiding the government response could be replaced by a comprehensive socio-economic-political and legal response to the escalating violence and counter-violence.

The activists who spoke to the media after a visit to Nayagarh and Ganjam districts belonged to the organisations such as the People's Union for Democratic Rights, People's Union for Civil Liberties, Andhra Pradesh Civil Liberties Committee, Centre for Protection of Civil Liberties and All-India Students Federation.

The activists, who condemned the February 15 Maoist attack in Nayagarh, demanded that the harassment of innocent people in the name of picking up of Maoists should be stopped immediately.

Maintaining that excessive deployment of police had created tension in the areas where the operation against the naxals was going on, the activists demanded withdrawal of unnecessary security forces.

The press conference was addressed by Manoranjan Mohanty, a retired professor of Political Science who represented PUDR, Delhi.

Govt urged to open dialogues with Maoists in Orissa

Bhubaneswar (PTI): Claiming widespread tension in Orissa after naxal attack in Nayagarh, a fact finding team of academics and human rights activists on Sunday asked the government to hold dialogue with the Maoists, cut force presence in several areas and prevent harassment of people.

"Following the Nayagarh attacks there is a widespread atmosphere of tension in the state. In the name of operations to nab naxalites, there are reports of arrests and tortures of innocent people," Prof Manoranjan Mohanty of People's Union for Democratic Rights (PUDR) said.

He was briefing newsmen after the team of PUDR, Delhi, People's Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL, Orissa), Andhra Pradesh Civil Liberties Committee (APCLC), Centre for Protection of Civil Liberties (CPCL), Tamil Nadu and All India Students Federation (AISF, Orissa) visited the affected areas to study the situation after February 15 naxal attacks.

Observing that 91 people were lodged in a school for last one week in Gasama area since the combing operation began, Mohanty said tthe tribal residents of Gasama and other affected villages should be enabled to return to their villages from the camp operating at the school and helped economically.

Asking the state as well as central authorities to enter into unconditional dialogue with naxalites, he said "there shold be comprehensive socio-economic-political and legal response to the escalating violence and counter-violence."

Harassment of innocents in the name of picking of Maoists should be prevented, he said adding that since excessive deployment of security forces createed unnecessary tention, insecuirty and fear among people, "we demand withdrawal of unnecessary security forces."

10 police personnel killed in Naxal attack in Orissa

BHUBANESWAR: Ten police personnel, including two women, and a civilian were killed when armed Naxals attacked a police training school, armoury and a police station in Nayagarh district of Orissa late on Friday.

They also took away a cache of arms and ammunition in a bus they had hijacked in the district, about 100 km from here.

A group of some 50 Naxals, including women cadres, with bombs and firearms raided Police Training School, district police station and armoury around 10:45 pm, police said.

Nayagarh Superintendent of Police Rajesh Kumar told reporters that 10 police personnel, including two women, and a civilian were killed and four policemen injured in the attack and the gunbattle that continued till around 12:15 am (Saturday).

He said the victims included two from PTS, and six from the police station and armoury, besides a civilian caught in the crossfire near Daspalla.

One of the policemen killed in the attacks has been identified as ASI Nandpani Misra, the SP said.

Before launching the attack, the Naxals announced that they would not harm the public as their target was the police.