Internet services remain suspended in Odisha’s Malkangiri district following violent clashes between tribal villagers and Bengali settlers over the alleged killing of a 51-year-old tribal woman, leading authorities to impose prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the new criminal code.
Clashes between Rakhelguda tribal villagers and MV-26 Bengali settlers in Odisha’s Malkangiri district erupted after 51-year-old Koya widow Lake Padiami’s headless body surfaced in Poteru River on December 4, triggering arson on 163-200 houses, vehicle destruction, and one arrest amid land disputes.
Tribals reportedly blame Bengali migrants lacking documents; settlers deny involvement and protest inaction. Authorities extended internet suspension till 12 PM December 10, imposed Section 163 orders, deployed BSF, ODRAF, sniffer dogs, and scientific teams; latest development includes severed head recovery 40 km away on December 9, with DGP YB Khurania and SP Vinodh Patil vowing arrests and peace restoration.
Decades-Old Tribal-Settler Land Feud
Tensions trace to 1956 Dandakaranya Project rehabilitating Bengali Hindu refugees from Bangladesh across Odisha’s tribal lands, displacing Koya and Bhumia communities from forests vital to their livelihood.
Recent flashpoint: Padiami’s dispute with settler Sukumar Mandal over her farmland, reclaimed last year after her husband’s death. She vanished December 3; tribals allegedly armed with bows stormed MV-26 on December 7, torching homes of 1970s migrants now Indian citizens, turning the hamlet into a ghost village with looted savings.
Bengali Samaj leader Gouranga Karmakar warned of rising friction ignored by officials. Prior 2021 clashes over 75-acre plots echo pattern, with tribals demanding “green cards” for residency.
Probe Advances and Security Clampdown
SP Vinodh Patil confirmed that sufficient forces, including ODRAF and BSF, are deployed to restore peace in Malkangiri. Police arrested Subharanjan Mondal, 45, from MV-26 for the murder, linked to a land dispute.
Despite the arrest, 5,000 tribal villagers allegedly torched over 160 houses and vehicles, underscoring the severe communal tension. The search for the missing severed head continues.
DGP Khurania’s site visit and peace talks with collectors stabilised MV-26, evacuated families. Home secretary blamed social media rumours; BJD MLA decried rights erosion, BJP praised response.
Human Cost and Community Divide
Padiami’s son awaits rituals sans full remains, humanising grief in a region scarred by Partition-era migrations altering Adivasi life. Bengali elders lament 50-year rebuilding undone; tribals like Bandhu Muduli decry criminal settlers. Violence looted gold, cash, forcing flight.
The Logical Indian’s Perspective
Ethnic rifts from historical wrongs demand empathetic dialogue to heal land scars, prioritising justice over vengeance for shared prosperity. Kindness bridges divides through verified facts and coexistence pacts.
