Will you die for your land?

The Kalinganagar Massacre of 2006

Originally Written By Basant Kerketta on March 2006

The year 2006 commenced with bloodshed for the Adivasis with the brutal death of 12 Adivasis on 2nd January at Kalinganagar. Kalinganagar is situated in Jajpur district of Orissa in Eastern India. The incident happened when they were demanding proper compensation for their land acquired by the Indian government for industrialisation. Many Adivasis had to face lathi charge and bullets for demanding their rights. This is not the only incident where Adivasis had to face the wrath of the powerful state. In similar incidents, four people were killed in police firing at an anti-dam rally at Chandil dam, Jharkhand in 1978. In Netarhat firing range many of our brothers and sisters had to suffer at the hands of defence personnel before the project was forced to stop. Today, 40 % of the total displaced people are Adivasis and out of them about 25% are resettled and rehabilitated.

Twelve Adivasis were shot dead by police on January 2 during a demonstration against the development of the Kalinga Nagar steel complex in the eastern state of Orissa. The impoverished protestors were demanding a halt to construction by steel developers on their traditional land.

On 4th Jan 2006, when the relatives were preparing the bodies for a cremation ceremony, they saw that both hands of all six victims were cut off. Those close saw that the genitals of all four men and the breasts of two women were cut off.

Name — Sex — Age — Village — Died — Status

Ati Jamuda F 32 Chanan•Police custody•Unmarried

Bana Badara M 35 Gadpur•Police custody•Married — 5 children

Rama Gagarai M 35 Gadpur•Police custody•Married — 5 children

Landu Jarika M 29 Bamiyagotha•Police custody•Married — 2 children

Bhagaban Soy M 25 Gobarghati•Police custody•Unmarried

Mukta Bankira F 30 Chandia•Police custody•Unmarried

Janga Jarika F 27 Baligotha•Spot•4 children

Gobinda Laguri M 14 Champakoila•Spot•Student

Sudam Barla M 25 Belohari•Spot•Unmarried

Deogi Tiria F 28 Champakoila•Spot•3 children

Rangalal Munduya M 40 Baligotha•In Hospital•Single

Rama Ch Jamuda M 36 Bamiyagotha•In Hospital•2 children

Above Data is collected from the fact-finding report by JOHAR (Jharkhandi’s Organisation for Human Rights) & JMACC (Jharkhand Mines Area Coordination Committee). The Report can be found at http://firstpeoplesfirst.in/