State Human Rights Commission orders Ex Gratia in ‘Fake Encounter’ Case

Four years after the State Police alleged to have gunned down a Maoist in Rayagada district, the Odisha Human Rights Commission (OHRC) has said he wasn't associated with any Maoist outfit.

Taking strong note of the alleged fake encounter, the OHRC has asked the State Govt to pay Rs 1.5 lakh compensation to the next of kin of Manda Kadraka, the deceased. The commission issued the order on Nov 10 on the basis of separate complaints filed by human rights activists, Prabir Kumar Das & Biswapriya Kanungo.

The duo had moved the OHRC claiming that Police had killed Kadraka by falsely branding him as a Maoist. During the hearing, police claimed that Kadraka, along with others, was present in a Maoist camp at Niyamgiri hills under the Kalyansingpur police limits in Rayagada district on the intervening night of Feb 26 & 27, 2016. They said they had surrounded the camp & asked the suspected Maoists to surrender. They also alleged that the suspected Maoists had opened fire on them, forcing them to retaliate. Kadraka was killed in the exchange of fire.

The commission also went through the report of the revenue divisional commissioner (southern range), who had alleged that Kadraka & other suspected Maoists had hatched a conspiracy to kill the District Collector & SP. 

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