Kalyansinghpur, Sep 20:

Over hundred Dongria Kondhs today protesting against the construction of a road to the Niyamgiri hills torched a temporary camp of the para-military forces after ransacking it in Odisha’s Rayagada district.

TH27_NIYAMGIRI_HIL_1531724fAccording to reports, Dongria Kondh tribals led by Niyamgiri Surakhaya Manch president Sikka Ladda opposing construction of a road to Niyamgiri hills set afire the temporary camp of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) at Parsali in Kalyansinghpur block after ransacking it.

The tribals alleged that the road was being constructed to allocate mines in the Niyamgiri hills to Vedanta Aluminium Ltd.

“Why have they set-up a camp without taking our opinion? They will set-up camp on their own, they will construct a road on their own and will then threaten our people. This is no government. This is a government run by the companies. The setting-up of the camp here is part of the greater conspiracy,” said Sikka Ladda, president of Niyamgiri Surakhya Manch.

However, Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) Rayagada Patitapaban Choudhury said that Maoists using Dongria Kondhs as a shield have done this.

“If awareness level rises among the tribals it will be difficult for the Maoists to hide there. Therefore, them using the tribals a shield at around 1PM they set fire to the police camp and articles belonging to ITBP personnel,” said Choudhury.http://odishasuntimes.com/2016/09/20/dongria-kondhs-set-police-camp-fire-odishas-niyamgiri/