Top Odisha Maoist Sabyasachi, Dandapani call off fast

Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Brahmapur, May 1:

Bowing to an appeal made by civil society leaders, top Odisha Maoist Sabyasachi Panda and Jana Adhikar Manch leader Dandapani Mohanty called off their indefinite hunger strike this afternoon.

While Panda was on a huger strike inside the Brahmapur Circle Jail, where he has been lodged since his arrest in March last year, Mohanty was on fast at the MKCG Hospital here.

Mohanty, who has been on fast since April 24, was shifted to the hospital on April 28. His condition had deteriorated considerably  and he had lost about 12 kg after his week-long fast. Assistant Professor Lalit  Kumar Meher, who was attending on the Manch leader, had advised him to call off his hunger strike immediately.

Mohanty had launched his fast demanding political prisoner status while Panda had launched his hunger strike, for the second time in the last one month, demanding complete details of the cases pending against him at various police stations in the state.

Panda called off his hunger strike at 1.30 pm and Mohanty followed suit at 2.30 pm.

The signatories to the appeal were Rabi Das (senior journalist), Panchanan Kanungo, ex. Minister, Bhabani Pattnaik- Freedom Fighter, human rights activist Biswapriya Kanungo, Sk. Abdul Walli, (RPI), Narendra Mohanty (CAFC), Panchanan Senapati – Samajwadi Janata Party, Radhakant Sethi (CPI-ML- Liberation), Radhamohan- ex.bureaucrat,  Rumita Kundu (Women’s Activist), Sudarsan Das- Social Activist, Tapan Mishra- ex. president of Ravenshaw College and Bansidhar Das of the Committee for release of political prisoners and others.

A delegation of these leaders would meet the chief secretary this evening, said Narendra Mohanty, convener of CAFC.