“Clear-cut murder” of Christian couple by Kandhamal security forces
Mumbai (AsiaNews) – A clear-cut murder of two innocent Christians by the security forces in Kandhamal. This is conclusion of an inquiry into the death of Dubeswar Bhubudi Nayak and his wife, killed on July 26 near the village of Pangalpadar, where they lived.
AsiaNews has received the first reports prepared by the fact finding team, who went on site on July 30. The testimonies contradict the version given by the authorities, who spoke of an "accident", the result of an anti-Maoist operation.
Pangalpadar is located in a remote area of Kotagada block in the district of Kandhamal. The area is so remote it does not even have a main road linking it to the main seat of the local government. Of the 100 families living there, 75% are ethnic tribal Kondh, the remainder Dalits ("untouchables").
The majority work as laborers, but many - especially the younger ones - have migrated elsewhere for better-paid jobs. There is a school up to 5th grade and poor access to medical services or electricity. Few people own cell phones, and to use them they have to climb to the top of the hills, through dense forests, to get any signal.
In fact it was in an effort to contact their families that July 26 last, at around 3 pm, five people headed up the hill to Dudimaha, between the villages Pangalpadar and Adipadar. The five were Sukant Chalanseth (48), Bineswar Chalanseth (40), Philimina Chalanseth (38), Dubeswar Nayak (called Duba, 45) and Bhubudi (called Budi, 41).
According to Sukant and Bineswar - the main eyewitnesses - after finishing their phone calls, Bineswar called Duba and his wife to return to the village. The couple said they had not yet finished, and would return later. On the way home, suddenly the first three were blocked by a group of security forces, identified as members of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), the largest paramilitary force in India. Pointing guns at them, the officers asked their names and what were they doing in the forest.
Sukant and Bineswar explained that they had telephoned their relatives and that a couple of their friends were still on the hill. The police did not ask Philimina any questions, and let them go. About an hour later, at around 17, the three and other members of the village heard gunshots coming from the same area of the forest where they were before.
The community discussed the possibility of going to look for the couple, but decided to wait until the next day. That night Duba and Budi never returned to their home.
The village leader Lahasa Rupamajhi says that the next morning (July 27) the community launched a search for the couple. On the hill, where they were last seen, they found blood stains and the woman's dress. The leader contacted and advised the inspector in charge of Kotagada of the situation, who told them to collect the evidence found and bring it to the police station. The inhabitants refused.
After consulting with the head of the village council, Lahasa, Sukant and Bineswar - along with a small group of people - went to the Kotagada police station and filed a complaint. However, the inspector in charge refused to accept the report, arguing that the case should be handled by a higher authority than his. At that point, the community staged a protest outside the police station, demanding that the bodies of the two victims be returned to their children.
Given the police silence, the next day the community blocked a road and after 36 hours of protest, on the afternoon of 28 security officers delivered the bodies to the children of the victims, promising them a compensation of 200 thousand rupees, and immediately donating 20 thousand rupees for funeral expenses.
The deceased couple had six children, three females (Junusi, the eldest, 27, Minu, 22; Elisheba, the youngest, 11) and three males (Rahul, 25, Saul, 19; Paul, 16). In fact the parents had gone to telephone Rahul, Saul and Paul before they were killed. The first two live and work in Kerala, the third in Hyderabad.
Rahul told investigators that he had spoken with his parents around 16:30. Suddenly, he heard an unnatural sound come from his mother. Failing to understand what was happening, he tried to ask his father, but his voice was drowned out as. "I heard some people physically attack my mother - he reported - perhaps an attempted rape. And when my father tried to protect her, they also attacked him. " After hearing these noises, someone turned off the phone. When he tried to call, a pre-recorded message said the cell was "not available".
Rahul tried again that night. At first, the phone rang five times. Finally it was turned off. "It was only on the morning of the 27th that I knew they were gone. My brothers and I took the first train available and we went home".
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