NBW issued against six persons including BJD district president N Bhaskar Rao in Bhagirathi Mandingi murder case
Rayagada (Badal Tah): The Hon’ble SDJM Court at Rayagada today issued an order granting non-bailable warrant(NBW) against six accused including District BJD President & Ex-MP, Rajya Sabha Sri Nekkanti Bhaskar Rao. Samuel Tandi, advocate of the deceased Bhagirathi’s family, disclosed the details of the court order to the media about he much-hyped Bhagirathi Mandangi murder case that happened during 2010.
According to the source, late Bhagirathi’s brother Jagannath Mandangi appeared before the SDJM court with witnesses. The non-bailable warrants have been issued in the names of other accused named Yella Venketeswar Rao (Konda babu), K Krishna Rao, Adi Narayan, Ippili Raju & P Dillip. “Interestingly enough, Bhaskar has been provided with Personal Security Officers(PSOs) by Govt of Odisha since last ten years or so. Once the NBW against him reaches the local police station, they will certainly act upon the court order. We expect the state government to withdraw his PSOs with immediate effect. In this case, though the justice is delayed, but it is never denied”, said Shyam Kumar Dash, Ex-BJP district youth president.
“It has been 14 years since Bhagirathi Mandangi was murdered. But the crime branch and the police failed to arrest the killers due to political nexus. Therefore, at different points of time, Zilla Adivasi Maha Sangha protested through large gatherings and demanded before Governor of Odisha & President of India to take the culprits to task. The Maha Sangha also asserted that the case be handed over to the CBI to render impartial justice to the tribal community at large. Jagannath Mandangi, Basant Ullaka, the Convenor of Adivasi Maha Sanghra expressed their satisfaction over honorable court’s verdict. They expressed that they do have faith in the country’s justice system even if there is inordinate delay.
Late Bhagirathi Mandangi, a former Municipal Councilor representing BJD, was also a member of the Ma Magalghariani Temple Trust. It seems he questioned bungling of Trust funds, which runs to crores of rupees and huge amount of gold & silver ornaments, remote controlled by Bhaskar and his associates. Because of his continuous questioning, he disappeared from near the Majhighariani Temple on 15th December 2010. After a lot of searching, the family was compelled to file an FIR on the 17th of December 2010. Later, Rayagada PS Case No. 208/2010 was registered and investigation started. After a thorough search by police, it was reported that a dead body was found inside a dam near Komrada police station in Andhra Pradesh. The family went to the spot and identified the body as Bhagirathi. From all these circumstances it was crystal clear that he had been kidnapped and killed.
After this incident, Rayagada town was repeatedly shut down as scores of tribals staged agitations. But the police did not arrest anyone. The state govt then ordered a crime branch inquiry on April 5, 2011. The report of the criminal investigation has not been made public till date. So, a team along with Basant Ullaka went to Delhi to meet Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and submitted a memorandum for CBI investigation. After this Jagannath Mandangi filed a case 1 CC 6/24 in Rayagada SDJM Court. Hon’ble SDJM , after hearing the Mandangi murder case, has issued a non-bailable arrest warrant against all the above accused persons. Mr. Tandi, the lawyer, has expressed gratitude on behalf of the victim’s family and said that justice was done to the poor tribal family of late Bhagirathiand tribal people of the district in particular.
