HVK Archives: Backlash
Backlash - Mid-Day
Bibhuti Mishra
()
December 10, 1998
Title: Backlash
Author: Bibhuti Mishra
Publication: Mid-Day
Date: December 10, 1998
Introduction: Tribals-Christians feud may have led to Orissa
jail massacre
The jail-break and burning of two undertrial prisoners at R
Udaygiri jail in Orissa by an irate tribal mob appears to have
its roots in the ongoing tension between tribals and Christian
converts.
On December 1, some tribal labourers were travelling to
Berhampur railway station in a bus, to leave Orissa in search of
work. A number of tribals here leave the area as bonded labour
every year. But on that day, at around 11 am, three tribal
dacoits who were Christian converts, had attacked the bus with
lethal weapons and looted nearly 50 tribals, of more than Rs
60,000. This had created tension among the Udayagiri tribals.
Most of the tribals are poverty-stricken, while the converts
living in Christian bash' are better off. funded by an
missionaries.
The agitated tribals had staged a dharna before the police
station and called for a bandh. But even though two dacoits,
Trishanku Behera Dalel and Jaisingh were arrested, they were not
handed over to the tribals as per their demands. The tribals had
always nurtured a grouse that the district administration and
the police were hand in glove with the Christian converts. The
tribals took the law into their hands yesterday. Big trees were
chopped down and the road to Udayagiri blocked. Later, 5,000-
6,000 angry tribals armed with bows, arrows and axes marched to
the sub-jail in a battle dance and attacked the sentry. Badly
bleeding. the sentry handed over the keys and the tribals barged
into the jail and dragged out the two dacoits.
Ale dacoits were put on a trolley and hacked to pieces. Then,
the trolley was rolled out of the station one km away in a
victory dance, and set on fire. All the time, the collector, the
police superintendent and the police officer in-charge hid
themselves, fearing for their life. With battle cries rending
the air, the tribals marched to the Christian basis and set it
on flames, where 90 families lived. The church and the
missionary vehicle was burnt down.
Tension runs high in Udayagiri today, though top police
officials are camping here. No arrests have been made so far,
although 11 out of the 33 prisoners who had escaped in the
jailbreak have been apprehended.
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