**Jajpur: ** For the first time, the anti and pro displacement fronts of tribals have come together to observe the 12th anniversary of police firing which killed 14 tribals. Tribals from different districts joined the rally that was taken out from Champakoila to Veerbhumi, the place where 14 tribals lost their lives in police firing during protests against the Tata steel plant and offered tribute to them.
On January 2, 2006, the police had fired on tribals protesting against displacement due to industrialisation in general and levelling the ground for the construction of a boundary wall of a steel company in Kalinga Nagar.
While 12 persons died on the spot, 60 others sustained bullet injuries. Later, two of them succumbed to their injuries. A police constable was also killed in the clash.
Notably, Justice P.K. Mohanty Commission’s inquiry report on Kalinganagar firing was submitted in State Assembly on December 14 last year. The report mentioned that the incident took place due to frustration among people who did not get adequate compensation following displacement.