The family of an Odisha policeman, who was killed a decade ago in an attack by Maoists, has said it has not got the land the government had promised for all personnel killed in areas affected by the insurgency.
Bibhisana Sahu of Pandiapali village in Sonepur district was killed in 2010 along with 10 other troopers of the Special Operations Group, an anti-Maoist specialist force like the Greyhounds of Andhra Pradesh, when the Maoists triggered a landmine in Boipariguda area of Koraput.
The policemen were travelling in a vehicle to Malkangiri district from Baipariguda in Koraput district on road clearing when the blast occurred.
Eyewitnesses said the impact of the blast was so severe that the vehicle was blown up at least 25 feet in the air before falling into a ditch below. Severed parts of the policemen’s bodies, including those of the 24-year-old Sahu, were found on trees.
Though his family received the financial assistance and his younger brother Pankah got a job in the police department, his family is yet to get the 10 decimals land that the government had announced for all the slain policemen in Maoist areas.
“I have been running to government offices for getting the patta of the 10 decimals of land that the government had announced, however, I am yet to get it,” Sahu’s father, Baikuntha, said.
{{/usCountry}}“I have been running to government offices for getting the patta of the 10 decimals of land that the government had announced, however, I am yet to get it,” Sahu’s father, Baikuntha, said.
{{/usCountry}}“I have provided all necessary documents to the government, but have not succeeded. How long would we have to run around for a piece of land? Don’t the families of the police martyrs deserve respect?” he asked.
Sonepur district collector Monisha Banerjee said she has recently gone through all the documents of the case and ordered for the speeding up of the process.
“I don’t know as to why the process was delayed. We should be able to give the land to the family in the next two months,” Banerjee said.
The state government has claimed major gains in its fight against the Maoists by announcing exclusion of five districts from the list of affected ones.
Last week, Odisha’s director general of police (DGP) Abhay said the state has recommended to the Union ministry of home affairs to exclude five districts from the list of those get funding from the Centre’s Security Related Expenditure (SRE) scheme for fighting the Maoists.
Abhay said with Maoist situation improving in the state and more rebels surrendering due to aggressive police action, Odisha has now recommended to the Centre to drop Angul, Boudh, Sambalpur, Deogarh and Nayagarh.
Once the Centre excludes these districts, Odisha would have 10 districts under SRE.