While the focus remains on the recent spate of Maoist attacks, statistics show that Naxals have been killing three persons in every two days for the past five years. The Left-wing extremists have killed about 2,670 people -- about 1,680 civilians and nearly 990 security personnel -- since 2005, equalling three deaths every two days. About 1,440 Maoists have also lost their lives in the past five years, which translates...

More than a million people settled along the Kosi river in the Indian state of Bihar live an uncertain and nomadic life in "floating villages" because of frequent flooding. Whenever Babuji Sah walks towards his village, Birbar, he says he feels like an ageing camel struggling to find his new address in the sand-filled desert. That is because Birbar is forced to move location every three to four years. The pathways...

Says India is obliged under international law to protect right to life  Wants impartial inquiry into reports of excessive use of force by police ‘Force must be used in accordance with international standards' Amnesty International (AI) has urged the authorities in Orissa to halt immediately unnecessary and excessive use of force by police and private civil militias on Adivasi (indigenous communities) and peasants protesting against the acquisition of their lands and habitats...

May 21 to be observed as ‘protest day' across Orissa  “Naveen Patnaik compromising people's interests for land acquisition” Public meeting to be held at Balitutha to express solidarity with villagers BHUBANESWAR: Several Opposition parties and mass organisations of Orissa on Sunday condemned the police action against villagers opposing the Posco-India's steel project in Jagatsinghpur district. They also warned the Biju Janata Dal government against using Police Force on innocent people to acquire...

Even as the Orissa government attempts to use force to secure the `Posco area', serious discrepancies have emerged in the submissions made by the state government to the Centre in order to secure the forest clearance for the project. The state government had claimed that the three villages involved had not filed any claims over the forest land under the Forest Rights Act. But TOI has got access to the...