The discovery of a tribal woman's headless body in Odisha's Malkangiri district sparked violent clashes between two villages, leading to arson and vandalism. Authorities imposed prohibitory orders and a 24-hour internet shutdown to curb escalating tensions fueled by social media rumors. Police have deployed forces to restore peace amid suspicions of a land dispute motive.
In Odisha's Malkangiri district, tensions boiled over following the murder of a 55-year-old tribal woman from Rakhelguda village. Reported missing on December 3, her headless body was recovered from a river the next day. A youth from the nearby MV-26 village, home to Bengali settlers, was detained for questioning, igniting immediate confrontations.
Violence erupted on Sunday evening as thousands of tribal residents from Rakhelguda targeted MV-26, vandalizing and setting fire to over 50 houses. The unrest persisted into Monday, with more than 5,000 tribals, armed with traditional weapons, marching to the village and continuing the destruction despite police presence. The woman's head remains missing, and her family along with villagers have blocked a post-mortem examination, heightening local anger.
Police suspect the killing stems from a land dispute. To address the crisis, the district administration enforced prohibitory orders in the affected areas. Odisha's home secretary issued an order highlighting a critical law-and-order situation, attributing it to 'anti-social elements circulating false, provocative and inflammatory messages' on social media. A 24-hour internet ban was enacted to prevent further spread of such content and restore public order.
Odisha Director General of Police YB Khurania visited Malkangiri with senior officers, convening a meeting with district officials. Border Security Force personnel joined local police in deployments, conducting flag marches to maintain calm. Malkangiri Superintendent of Police Vinodh Patil stated, “The situation is under control. We have deployed sufficient forces in both the villages to avoid further escalation... Our first priority is to restore peace. The accused in the case has been identified and will soon be arrested.”
In response, Bengali residents from nearby villages protested by gheraoing the Collector's office, demanding action against the vandals and arsonists.