Authorities reported that the headless body of Padiami, a widow from Rakhelguda village under Korukonda police limits, was recovered from a riverbank last week. Her disappearance had been formally reported on the day she went missing while harvesting paddy; her son had lodged the missing persons complaint, suspecting foul play involving a sharecropper from MV-26.
Tensions flared when a large assembly from the tribal community, armed with traditional weapons including axes, bows and arrows, marched to MV-26 under the jurisdiction of the Korkunda Sadar police station. They forced entry into houses, looted shops, destroyed vehicles and set fire to multiple structures; reports vary on the exact scale, citing anything between 50 to 150 homes damaged or destroyed.
The administration responded swiftly. By 6 pm on Monday they ordered a 24-hour suspension of internet services across the district and banned gatherings of more than five people in the two affected villages, aiming to prevent retaliation or further unrest. Security forces including local police, Border Security Force, fire-service units and disaster response personnel have been mobilised; senior officials visited the site and convened a peace committee meeting with representatives from both communities.
One suspect from MV-26, identified as Subharanjan Mondal, was taken into custody in connection with the murder of Lake Padiami; police say investigations into the killing and the ensuing violence remain ongoing. Many members of the settler community have fled the village in fear, and authorities say at least two people have been detained so far.
The origins of deep-rooted hostility stem from the decades-old legacy of the Dandakaranya Development Authority initiative, under which Bengali-speaking refugees from what was then East Pakistan were relocated to this forested region. The settlers were allotted land, often leading to disputes with indigenous tribal communities who claim ancestral rights over land and forest resources. Tribal leaders have long argued that such redistribution disrupted their traditional livelihoods and eroded their access to forests — a grievance that activists say has fuelled recurring tensions.
Community organisations have now demanded a comprehensive investigation — not only into the brutal killing of Padiami but also into the violence against settlers and what they call forced displacement of Bengali-origin families from their homes. The demands include recovery of the victim’s missing head, swift prosecution of all involved, and steps to ensure protection for displaced families. In parallel, tribal organisations have petitioned the administration to take stringent action against alleged “infiltrators” and persons they accuse of unlawful encroachment over government land during the 1970s and 1980s.
Officials say patrols continue and relief efforts are underway to assess the damage and report missing persons. The administration has pledged to maintain heightened security in Malkangiri as investigations proceed and efforts continue to restore normalcy.