The National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST) has issued notices to the District Collector and the Superintendent of Police of Malkangiri district following reports of a violent clash between Bengali settlers and members of an indigenous tribal community.
According to preliminary information, the incident involved tensions between Bengali residents and tribal groups in the district, which reportedly led to the killing of a woman belonging to the Koya tribe. Taking serious note of the matter, the NCST has sought a detailed report on the circumstances surrounding the alleged murder.
In addition, the Commission has asked the district administration to submit a comprehensive report on allegations of violations of tribal rights that emerged after the incident. The NCST has specifically directed the authorities to clarify what steps have been taken to ensure justice, maintain law and order, and protect the rights of the affected tribal communities.
The District Collector and the Superintendent of Police have been instructed to submit their responses and action-taken reports within three days.
The Commission emphasized that safeguarding the rights, dignity, and security of Scheduled Tribes is a constitutional responsibility and any lapse will be viewed seriously.
What triggered the violence?
In early December, police recovered the body of a Koya tribal woman, a native of the Rakhelguda village in Malkangiri, from a riverbank.
Days after the discovery and the detention of a youth from the nearby MV-26 village, over a thousand tribals armed themselves with traditional weapons and vandalised the village’s vehicles, shops and other structures. Notably, the village has a significant refugee Bengali settler population. More than a hundred houses of MV-26 were set on fire, and several residents fled the area.
With continued violence, armed police forces, including the Border Security Forces (BSF), were deployed to bring the situation under control and internet suspension was ordered. The district administration also held peace talks with leaders from both sides, who agreed to maintain law and order.
