BJP, Congress call for Kandhamal bandh over killing of tribals

The poles apart parties, the Congress and the BJP, both have called for a shut-down in Kandhamal, Odisha, after accusing the Biju Janata Dal government of killing innocent tribals during the anti-Maoist operation in the district. Kandhamal Superintendent of Police Pinak Mishra clarified that five persons had been killed in Maoist-police encounter. The police had on Sunday put the death toll at six in the incident in Gumudumaha forest area under Tumudibandha police station limit. Odisha PCC president Prasad Harichandan said the judicial probe ordered into the incident by the Naveen Patnaik government was "unacceptable". "The BJD government is fully responsible for the tragedy in which innocent people were killed in the name of anti-Maoist operation."