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A headless woman’s body sparks deadly clashes in Odisha’s Malkangiri, leaving dozens of homes damaged and villages in fear. Police and ODRAF deployed as tribal tensions rise what triggered the violence, and has peace finally returned?
Clash breaks out in Odisha’s Malakanagiri after headless body found
Bhubaneswar: A violent clash broke out in Odisha’s Malkangiri district after the gruesome discovery of a headless body of a 51-year-old woman, identified as Lake Padiami, a widow from Rakhelguda village.
The incident triggered unrest between local tribal communities, prompting the deployment of police and paramilitary forces to restore order. Internet services were temporarily suspended in the area to prevent the spread of misinformation.
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Authorities dispatched a scientific team, sniffer dogs, and personnel from the Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF) to the site. Extensive searches are underway to recover the missing head and gather further evidence.
The Additional Superintendent of Police, Raj Kishore Das, confirmed that additional Odisha Police and BSF forces were deployed, along with the Odisha Fire Service, to contain the violence and prevent further escalation.
According to Malkangiri Collector Somesh Kumar Upadhyay, the situation has now stabilized. “An agreement has been reached between the two communities. Representatives from both sides have been named for today’s Peace Committee meeting. We are hopeful that normalcy will return soon,” he said.
Preliminary assessments indicate that 163 houses were damaged during the clash. The victim’s son has been given an ex-gratia amount of Rs 30,000, while the Chief Minister announced Rs 4 lakh ex-gratia to the family.
Prohibitory orders have been imposed in two villages following the violent outbreak, which began when tribals from Rakhelguda attacked MV-26 village under the Korkunda Sadar Police station jurisdiction. During the attack, at least a dozen houses were damaged, several vehicles destroyed, and four homes were set ablaze. Two persons have been detained, while many others have reportedly fled the village.
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Tensions escalated after the discovery of Lake Padiami’s body in a local river. Tribal organisations demanded swift police action to arrest the perpetrators and recover the missing head. On Sunday, hundreds of tribal men and women from Rakhelguda, armed with weapons, reportedly attacked MV-26 village, causing widespread destruction.
Senior officials, including DIG (South Western) Kanwar Vishal Singh, Malkangiri Collector Somesh Kumar Upadhyay, and SP Vinodh Patil, visited the affected areas and held a peace committee meeting with representatives from both communities to prevent further violence. The administration continues to monitor the situation closely, emphasizing restoration of law and order in the region.
