Martyrs day observed at Papadahandi

Nabarangpur: Basant Rath.

Rich tribute was paid to the freedom fighters who laid down their lives while taking part in an anti-British procession during the Quit India movement at Papadahandi in Nabarangpur district, on Sunday.

The Commerce and Transport minister Mr Ramesh Chandra Majhi, was chief guest while Rajya Sabha MP A.V.Swamy, local Loksabha MP Er. Balabhadra Majhi, MLAs Bhujabala Majhi, Manohar Randhari, Subash Gond, Padampur MLA Pradeep Purohit, Nuapada MLA Basant Panda, Zilla Parisad President Motiram Nayak,  freedom fighter Md.Bazi,  Dolo Govinda Pradhan, social worker and Maa Ghara Foundation Trustee Rutupurna Mohanty,  retired Lt. General Dr. Narayan Mohanty, social worker Arya Kumar Gyanendra and other elected representatives attended the meeting and offered their tribute to the freedom fighters.

Commerce and Transport Minister Ramesh Chandra Majhi, appreciated the steps of the district administration for the observation of Martyrs day in all the educational institutions and police stations.  This day should be observed in all institutions and clubs of the district which will be a mark of respect for the sacrifice they have made, Majhi said.

Presiding over the meeting Collector Md Sadique Alam said the unforgettable massacre at Papadahandi by the British Government had a wide ranging repercussion in the freedom of undivided Koraput district.  On 24 August 1942, the indiscriminate firing on freedom fighters by the unruly British police, on the bank of Turi river near at  Papadahandi in which 11 people lost their lives at spot and 8 persons died at hospital hundreds arrested and unknown number of people washed away in the flood waters of Turi river for the sake of freedom but till today the history is silent in actual figure.

He further said the Toori river firing should be a distinct place in Indian history the district administration will provide all necessary supports for the research peoples to write on the detail history of bygone era Turi River firing and bring the fact figure of the freedom fighters tangled in the firing.

The family members of the martyrs were felicitated on the occasion. Among others Superintendent of Police Brijesh Kumar Rai, DIPRO Bhujang Bhusan Rao zilla parisad member Somnath Bissoyi, were present.