Headless body of woman sparks unrest between Odisha villages; Internet suspended

Internet services were suspended in Odisha’s Malkangiri district on Monday following a clash between tribal villagers and Bengali-speaking people. Prohibitory orders under Article 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita were imposed in two villages of the district where houses were burnt.

The violence that broke out on Sunday afternoon was sparked by the murder of a 51-year-old tribal woman whose headless body was recently recovered from the river.

According to authorities, there was a land dispute with the dead woman’s family. He gave some of his land to a Bengali person for sharecropping. However, when he wanted to terminate the contract, an argument broke out.

District Collector Somesh Kumar Upadhyay said, “We have suspended Internet services for 24 hours as a preventive measure to stop the spread of evil. The situation is under control.” He added that an investigation has been ordered to find out who triggered the violence and what was the root cause of it.

“Tensions were simmering between the two villages due to increasing economic and social inequalities,” an official said.

While the Bengali-speaking people who migrated from East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) soon after independence appear to be economically wealthy, the indigenous inhabitants of Malkangiri remain backward. The tribal community often claims that Bengali-speaking people have usurped their land through deception, he added.

Houses were set on fire

Around 5,000 tribal people from Rakhelguda village attacked MV-26 village with traditional weapons, including axes, on Sunday afternoon and set fire to many houses. More than 100 families were affected by the attack.

Senior officers immediately visited the affected village and held a peace meeting. Police have made some progress in the investigation.