Orissa MLA, his PSO shot dead by suspected Maoists

BHUBANESWAR: A ruling Biju Janata Dal legislator Jagabandhu Majhi and his personal security officer were gunned down at a public meeting in Nabarangpur district, around 500 km from here, in southern Orissa on Saturday.

The incident, in which a civilian has also sustained serious injuries, is suspected to be the handiwork of Maoists. Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik immediately ordered an inquiry by the state crime branch of police.

A noted tribal leader, Majhi (BJD was elected to the state Assembly from Umerkote for the first time in 2009. He had gained prominence during the past decade by leading a violent tribal movement under the Dalit Samaj banner against alleged land grab by Bangladeshi settlers in Raighar and other parts of Nabarangpur.

He was killed at an event to distribute land pattas (record of rights) to poor people at Gona village, close to the Orissa-Chhattisgarh border, police sources said. "Maoists have influence in the area where the incident took place," a police source pointed out.

"Three persons came on a motorcycle and shot dead the MLA and his personal security officer P K Patro. A civilian has been injured and admitted at Umerkote hospital," Nabarangpur superintendent of police Niti Sekhar said.

While Maoists are suspected to be behind the killings, police are yet to get any confirmation. "We are keeping all possibilities open," Director General of Police Manmohan Praharaj told TOI. "The additional director general of police (crime) has rushed to the spot on a helicopter," he added.

Police sources said they were also looking into the personal enmity being a reason for the murders. Thirteen-nine-year-old Majhi faced quite a few criminal cases and was reduced to a wheel chair after suffering debilitating injuries in the lower half of his body in an attack few years ago.

Though Majhi used to have a personal security officer, the Nabarangpur SP said the MLA had never informed about any threat to his security.

Police said the bodies of Majhi and Patro were shifted to the Raighar police station.