Bhubaneswar, December 11: The main opposition Biju Janata Dal (BJD), on the instructions of President Naveen Patnaik, has formed a seven-member fact-finding committee to investigate the violence that erupted in Malkangiri district after the discovery of a tribal woman's body.

The committee, led by Manas Madkami (coordinator), includes Manohar Randhari (MLA), Ramesh Majhi (ex-Minister), Pradeep Majhi (ex-MP), Rabi Nanda (ex-Minister), Ishwar Panigrahi, and Laxmipriya Nayak (MLA candidate, Chitrakonda). Their mandate is to visit the affected areas and submit a detailed report to the party president.

BJD has expressed concern over the violence, urging the administration to restore peace, ensure the safety of affected families, and hold the perpetrators accountable.

The violence follows the murder of tribal widow Lake Padiami, allegedly over a land dispute, and the discovery of her beheaded body in a river. This triggered violent protests by tribal communities in Rakhalguda and neighboring villages, resulting in the destruction of over 50 homes and the ransacking of 160 houses in MV-26 village. Hundreds of Bengali-speaking families have fled after the violence.

In response, the Odisha Police and Central Armed Police Force have been deployed to prevent further escalation, while meetings have been held with both communities to restore normalcy.