BJP team blames Odisha govt for Sambalpur violence

Sambalpur: The four-member BJP MPs' team that visited Sambalpur, the scene of violence between two communities during Hanuman Jayanti processions, Tuesday blamed the BJD government in Odisha for it.

The team members - Uttar Pradesh Rajya Sabha member Brijlal, party MPS from Jharkhand Samir Oraon and Aditya Sahu and Jyotirmay Singh Mahato from West Bengal visited the western Odisha city on and will submit their report to BJP president J P Nadda.

They visited the house of tribal youth Chandramani Mirdha who was hacked to death in the outskirts of the city, while it was being rocked by violence.

The team also visited the place of murder where Mirdha was killed and held discussions with the locals.

Later, Brijlal, who is the team leader, said “According to the preliminary reports, the violence was a sponsored one. The untoward incident took place due to the state government’s failure.”

On his visit to Mirdha's residence, he said “The dead youth’s family was not present in the house. It is suspected that the family has been kept outside the village forcibly by the ruling BJD”.

Asked, the Sambalpur superintendent of police B Gangadhar said the police arrested at least six persons in connection with Mirdha's murder.

The man's death had nothing to do with the violence in the city on April 12 and 14, he asserted. Many people were injured and a number of shops gutted during the clash. The city was placed under curfew for several days and internet services suspended in view of the violence.

The BJP team also visited Bhawanipalli and met Kalia Sikka, a dalit youth who was injured on April 14.

“Sikka was attacked with sharp weapons and his finger was cut when he tied to save himself. There was an attempt to murder him but he survived. We have to verify whether the police have registered cases under sections of attempt to murder,” Brijlal told reporters.

The team is scheduled to meet senior government officers before concluding its tour.