Maoist – Church Nexus Threaten to kill BJP MLA and Hindu leaders in Orissa

Maoists threaten to kill BJP MLA Pradhan

Pioneer News Service | Phulban

The Maoists have threatened to kill the newly elected MLA from G Udyagiri of Kandhamal Manoj Pradhan. They have pasted posters threatening to kill the BJP MLA.

Besides Pradhan, four members of the Bajrang Dal also figure in the hit-list. It was alleged that the Maoists getting support of a few churches have started targeting members of the various Hindu outfits.

Pradhan is presently languishing in a prison as the police slapped a number of charges against him. He was arrested on charges of murder, arson and rioting in mid-October, 2008. As he has not yet been released, he is yet to take oath as MLA.

“We are investigating the matter after threat posters were recovered from Raikia area,” said Kandhamal Superintendent of Police Praveen Kumar, adding two posters were found at Raikia threatening to eliminate Pradhan and some other members of the Bajrang Dal.

Though there was no major communal violence since October last year, the posters have triggered tension in the district with police seizing the hand-written materials, sources said.

Pradhan earned the wrath of the Maoists after he raised his voice against the ongoing rampant conversion initiated by the Church in Kandhamal district. Later, police booked him as prime accused in last year’s violence in Kandhamal.

Pradhan is a main follower of Swami Laxmananda Saraswati whose killing on August 23, 2008 had led to widespread violence in Kandhamal. But Pradhan’s popularity came into limelight when he was elected to the State Assembly from G Udaygiri constituency despite being inside the jail. While all the senior leaders of the BJP lost the election, his wining in the election indicated his popularity among the tribals. The BJP on Thursday said the rebels had attacked Dilu Pradhan, a Bajrang Dal activist, a few days ago.

Responses