Officials rush to pacify tribals in Orissa

Worried over angry tribals taking law into their hands by capturing farm land belonging to non-tribals at Narayanpatna block in Koraput district, Orissa government on Wednesday rushed senior officials to hold talks with the tribesmen.

"The Revenue Divisional Commissioner (RDC), southern division and District Collector of Koraput are looking into the development in Narayanpatna area," chief minister Naveen Patnaik said.

The angry tribals under the banner of Chasi Mulia Adivasi Sangha (CMAS) forcibly ploughed about 500 acre land in possession of the non-tribals on Monday while police stood mute spectators, unable to stop the law violators.

The tribal fury came to fore in Koraput after the state administration failed to redress their grievances that the non-tribals had captured tribal land by using fraudulent means as well as by violating law of the land.

Armed with bows and arrows, a large number of tribals wearing red bandanna, attacked specific landowners and ploughed land in their possession.

"We have appointed an Officer on Special Duty (OSD) to verify tribal land alleged to be in possession of non-tribals," Revenue Minister S N Patro said adding the OSD had already disposed 20 such cases while 11 others were under consideration.

Meanwhile, the police authorities mobilised additional force to Maoist-hit Narayanpatna after realising that things were getting out of control, a senior police officer said adding that the cause of resentment among tribals was land and revenue-related.

Faced with danger to their lives, as many as 120 non-tribals (mostly Scheduled Castes) families had abandoned their Padapadar village.

The administration was also looking after safety of the people who were allegedly deserting villages out of fear, Patro said.

The situation in Koraput had turned volatile as the administration was facing dual threat - from Maoists and from tribal farmers.