January 2, 2025, marks the 19th anniversary of one of the most tragic and unjust killings of tribal people in India’s recent history. As the world welcomes a new year filled with hopes and dreams, we must pause to reflect on the 13 precious lives lost nearly two decades ago, and the systemic failure that has allowed their deaths to go unpunished. Despite widespread protests and an official inquiry, no one was held accountable for the killings. On January 2, 2006, 13 tribal individuals lost their lives in a brutal police firing at Kalinga Nagar, in Jajpur district, Odisha, as they protested the forced acquisition of their land for the construction of a steel plant by Tata Steel. This devastating incident remains a grim reminder of the deep disparities in the country and the brutal methods employed by authorities to suppress the voices of the marginalized.
The incident:
On the fateful day of January 2, 2006, tribal villagers from the Kalinga Nagar area assembled to protest the construction of a boundary wall for the Tata Steel plant. The locals, who had lived on the land for generations, had already been displaced by the project, but were yet to receive proper rehabilitation or compensation. As the villagers gathered in protest, demanding justice and the halt of construction on their ancestral land, the local government, led by a coalition of the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), dispatched hundreds of police officers to secure the site.[1]
When the levelling machine was doing its work, the protestors wanted to enter the rope cordon and stop the machine; the police tried to stop them. So, there arose a situation where there was pushing and pulling from both sides. In their attempt to scare the protesters, Police used teargas shells, and rubber bullets. When ‘peaceful’ means failed to disperse the crowd, police resorted to live ammunition. All this was done in quick succession. The tribals, some armed with bows and arrows, fought back in self-defence. But their resistance was met with a brutal crackdown. Twelve tribal villagers, including women and children, were shot dead by police. A 13-year-old boy and three women were among those killed.[2] This massacre triggered widespread protests and solidarity across the region. The tribal villagers, who had lost their loved ones in the police firing, were joined in solidarity by steel workers, many of whom worked at the Jindal and Mesco steel plants located in the Kalinga Nagar industrial zone. In an act of defiance against the authorities and in support of the oppressed villagers, the steel workers at both Jindal and Mesco plants went on strike.[3]
Inquiry commission and its failures:
In response to the nationwide outcry over the Kalinga Nagar massacre, the state government initially constituted the Justice A.S. Naidu Commission to investigate the police firing and the subsequent deaths. However, in May 2007, the Supreme Court intervened, ruling that a sitting high court judge could not head an inquiry commission, leading to the dissolution of the Naidu Commission. Subsequently, in January 2008, the Justice R.K. Patra Commission was formed to continue the investigation. However, in a turn of events, the commission was abruptly dissolved after Justice Patra was appointed as the Lokpal. The inquiry was once again shifted, and the Justice P.K. Mohanty Commission was given the responsibility of continuing the probe into the tragic incident. The commission, headed by Justice Pradyumna Kumar Mohanty, took almost a decade to submit its report.[4] Yet, despite the chilling evidence of excessive police violence, no meaningful action was taken against the police officers or government officials responsible for the deaths.
The Justice P.K. Mohanty Commission Report, tabled in the Odisha Assembly after two years of its submission, offered a controversial justification for the tragic Kalinga Nagar police firing. According to the Commission’s findings, the Executive Magistrate had no choice but to authorize live firing on the “riotous mob” due to the failure of all other deterrent measures. The report states, “In my considered opinion, there was no option for the Executive Magistrate than to pass orders for opening of live firing on the riotous mob when all deterrent measures i.e. firing of Tear Gas shells, Stinger shells, Stun shells and then firing of Rubber 88 bullets and the firing to air failed to scare away and disperse the mob.”[5] This explanation was met with criticism, as many argue that the use of lethal force was excessive and unjustified, particularly given the nature of the protest and the presence of unarmed tribal villagers. The injuries sustained by the victims were telling many were shot in the face at close range, raising serious questions about the use of force. If the goal was to deter the protesters, why did the police target their faces, a vulnerable area far above the waistline? This suggests that the police were not merely trying to disperse the crowd, but were deliberately aiming to kill.[6] While the inquiry report on the Kalinga Nagar massacre acknowledged that the expressions of discontent by the tribal communities regarding the acquisition of their land were “peaceful and democratic,” it failed to address the critical issue that fuelled the unrest: the administration’s and elected representatives’ handling of the matter, particularly concerning the lack of adequate compensation and rehabilitation for the displaced people.[7]
Dehumanized after death:
The tragedy did not end with the killings. After the victims were shot, their bodies were further dehumanized. The disfigurement of the bodies occurred shortly after the massacre, when authorities had reportedly removed the palms in an attempt to collect fingerprint evidence for identification purposes. The palms of five of the deceased were severed to ascertain their fingerprints, as their faces had been disfigured due to close-range gunfire. This brutal act, which was later condemned by the Odisha Human Rights Commission,[8] added to the humiliation and pain experienced by the grieving families. However, years later, when the palms were returned to the families of the deceased victims, they were met with refusal. The victims’ relatives demanded a DNA test to confirm the identities of their loved ones, rejecting the returned palms. Once the DNA results verified their authenticity, the community accepted the confirmation. The preserved palms were then carefully stored in a medical box at the club, where they remained until they were later found to thrown down near the memorial dedicated to the victims. This act had sparked outrage and renewed trauma among the local tribal communities, many of whom view the treatment of the victims’ bodies as an added layer of disrespect and dehumanization.[9]
The poverty of development:
The fears and concerns voiced by the tribal communities of Kalinga Nagar have tragically become a harsh reality, as the plight of the displaced people continues to worsen. The land acquisition for the Kalinga Nagar steel plant, which led to the 2006 police firing that claimed the lives of 13 tribal individuals, was supposed to bring development and prosperity to the region. However, nearly two decades later, the displaced people remain trapped in a cycle of poverty and deprivation, with little to show for the promises made by the government and corporate entities. While Odisha is rich in natural resources, including about 30% of India’s iron ore and 24% of its coal reserves, the wealth extracted from these resources has not benefited the state’s impoverished tribal communities. The construction of steel plants, including the Kalinga Nagar complex, has displaced thousands of tribal people who remain among the poorest in India, with little to no access to the economic opportunities promised by industrialization.[10] Despite being home to a wealth of minerals, Kalinga Nagar and the surrounding districts have seen little improvement in the living conditions of the displaced people. Villages in the area are riddled with poor infrastructure, lack of sanitation, pollution, and inadequate housing. The authorities, who are supposed to ensure the well-being of the local population, have shown a disturbing reluctance to address the suffering of the displaced families.
A nation’s failure to address systemic injustice:
The Kalinga Nagar massacre remains a tragic chapter in India’s history, symbolizing the dehumanization of marginalized communities, the unchecked power of corporates, and the violence of state repression. Nineteen years later, the families of the victims continue to mourn the loss of their loved ones, with little to show for the countless protests and calls for justice that have echoed through the region.[11] The tribal villagers, who were promised rehabilitation in exchange for the land given to Tata Steel, were left in limbo. The compensation and rehabilitation packages were either delayed or inadequate. Despite the acquisition of the land for over a decade, the affected people had not been properly resettled or compensated. This resulted in heightened tensions and an increasingly hostile environment between the people and the state. The discontent among the villagers was deep, and it could have been addressed through a more transparent, humane approach from both the government and the corporates. Instead, the state chose violence as a means of resolving the issue. The failure of the authorities to ensure the dignity and rights of the tribal communities led directly to the Kalinga Nagar massacre.
The question still remains unanswered that why did the state prioritize the interests of a powerful corporation over the lives of its own citizens? Why did Tata Steel, a company that prides itself on its social responsibility and nationalist image, remain untouched by the consequences of the killings? And why, despite an inquiry and widespread outrage, has no one been held accountable for the deaths of 13 innocent people? As we remember the victims of Kalinga Nagar, we must ask these questions and continue to fight for justice, not just for those who lost their lives, but for the countless other marginalized communities whose voices are silenced in the name of development and profit.
[1] https://www.downtoearth.org.in/urbanisation/tribals-observe-13th-anniversary-of-kalinga-nagar-firing-62658
[2] https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2006/01/oris-j17.html
[3] https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2006/01/oris-j17.html
[4] https://www.newsclick.in/kalinganagar-police-firing-2006-killed-13-tribals-was-justified-says-enquiry-commission
[5] https://www.newsclick.in/kalinganagar-police-firing-2006-killed-13-tribals-was-justified-says-enquiry-commission
[6] https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/chopped-palms-of-five-tribals-killed-found-scattered-in-odisha-club/story-BIm7V4GXABCZpOAWaPzvgO.html
[7] https://www.newsclick.in/kalinganagar-police-firing-2006-killed-13-tribals-was-justified-says-enquiry-commission
[8] https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/chopped-palms-of-five-tribals-killed-found-scattered-in-odisha-club/story-BIm7V4GXABCZpOAWaPzvgO.html
[9] https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/10-chopped-palms-recovered-in-odisha-1391510-2018-11-19
[10] https://www.newsclick.in/kalinganagar-police-firing-2006-killed-13-tribals-was-justified-says-enquiry-commission
[11] https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/odisha/2023/Jan/03/tribals-offer-tributes-to-kalinga-nagar-victims-2534260.html
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15 years on, memories of the Kalinganagar massacre still haunt