Tension Escalates in Malkangiri After Arson Attack

Bhubaneswar: Fresh unrest erupted in Odisha’s Malkangiri district on Monday, a day after over 50 houses were torched in MV-26 village following the recovery of a woman’s headless body. Despite large-scale police deployment, tension spread to new areas as groups of locals mobilised again, forcing the administration to tighten security.

Multiple Groups Mobilise Across District

According to reports, armed groups gathered at three different locations on Monday — the banks of the Rakhelguda River, the Malkangiri Sadar area, and near MV-18 village. Police teams intervened quickly and prevented the groups from marching further, averting fresh clashes.

With the situation remaining volatile, authorities imposed BNS-163 within a 10-km radius around MV-26 and Rakhelguda and stationed security forces at vulnerable points.

District Collector Somesh Kumar Upadhyay and SP Vinod Patil visited the tense zones and took stock of the situation. A peace meeting with representatives of both communities has been called.

Issue Raised in Assembly

The violence echoed in the Odisha Assembly during Zero Hour, where BJD MLA Pratap Deb criticised the state government for allegedly failing to detect the developing tension. He questioned how such a serious incident went unnoticed despite Malkangiri’s history of sensitive law-and-order conditions. Deb urged the Chief Minister to order an immediate probe.

Trigger: Recovery of Headless Body

The unrest began after the headless body of 55-year-old Lake Podiami of Rakhelguda was found in the Poteru river on Thursday. She had been missing since Wednesday, and her son had filed a police complaint. The body, found near Balighat, was identified through clothing. Police and fire services are still searching for the missing head.

On Sunday, police arrested 45-year-old Subharanjan Mondal of MV-26 for alleged involvement in the murder. Investigators suspect a land dispute may be linked to the killing, though the investigation is ongoing.

Administration on High Alert

Following Sunday’s large-scale arson attack — where villagers armed with axes and bows set fire to houses, vehicles, and belongings — officials rushed to MV-26 to assess the damage.

With tensions now spreading to surrounding villages, the administration has increased surveillance and appealed to all communities to maintain peace and avoid further escalation.