Bhubaneswar, Apr 24 (PTI) The National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST) has sought an action taken report from the authorities concerned into the death of a tribal man during a recent eviction drive in Odisha's Rourkela city, an official statement said.

A 35-year-old tribal protester, identified as Ettua Ekka from Barkani village in Sundargarh district, died allegedly after coming under an excavator engaged in the construction of a railway line to the Rourkela Steel Plant (RSP) on April 19.

Also Read | WBBSE Result 2025 Date and Time: Know When and Where To Check West Bengal Madhyamik Class 10 Results.

Taking suo-motu cognisance of the incident, the NCST has issued notices to the district collector, superintendent of police (SP) and the officials concerned of the Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) seeking a factual report and the action taken in response to the incident, the Ministry of Tribal Affairs said in a statement on Thursday.

The RSP is operated by the SAIL.

Also Read | Agra Shocker: Property Dispute Turns Fatal As Couple Dies After Eating Poison-Laced Laddoos; Audio Message From Victim Leads to Arrest of 4 Including Mother in Uttar Pradesh.

The incident took place during a protest by the local tribal community against the proposed construction of a railway line by Rourkela Steel Plant, extending up to Dumertha, it said.

During the protest, a tribal villager was killed after being run over by an earth-moving machine. Subsequent unrest was also reported in the area, the statement said.

As many as 19 people, including 16 police personnel, were injured in stone-throwing by the agitators, sources said.

Earlier, a BJD delegation had submitted a memorandum to the NCST, through its regional office in Bhubaneswar, and sought its intervention into Ekka's death.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)