Judicial Probe Ordered into Kondhmal Communal Violence

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A scene of violance

Bhuabneswar, Dec. 28.( Odisha.in ):Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Friday ordered judicial probe into the communal violence in the tribal dominated Kondhmal district in which four persons have been killed on Thursday.

However unconfirmed report puts the death toll at eight.The judicial commission of enquiry will be headed B. Panigrahi, retired justice  of Orissa High Court. Patnaik said that the situation is improving in many parts of the district and there has been no fresh violence.
 
Briefing  media persons, Home Secretary Tarun Kanti Mishra said that the State Government has requested the centre to send four additional companies of CRPFfor the troubled district.

Additional Para Military forces and Rappid Action Fores also have been requisitioned. All the district collectors have been asked to be present in their respective district headquqrters and those who were on leave have been asked to jointheir duties immediately.

Such precautionary measures have been taken to check spreading of violence to other neighbouring districts.
 
Mishra said that the State Government has already sent the report on the Kondhmal violence to the centre.
 
The worst hit areas were Brahmanigaon, Barkhama and Nuagaon areas in the district where both communities suffered losses. Some areas of Kandhmal were still inaccessible and police was working to clear the roads.
 
Curfew in four towns of the district namely Phulbani, Brahmanigaon, Daringibadi and Baliguda, which was lifted on Thursday morning, was re-imposed with the police anticipating more trouble.
 
Despite claim of the State Government that the situation is improving, the Christian community feels unsafe. A group of Christian representatives who met Chief Miister have demanded C.B.I. inquiry as they are not happy with the judicial probe. According to them the judicial probe would take lots of time.
 
Senior B.J.P. legislator and V.H.P. activist , Pratap Sarangi said ,that the minor communities were responsible for the situation in Kondhmal . Since a senior V.H.P. activist Swami Laxmanananda Saraswoti was attacked, the people who have love and respect for the Swamiji have reacted.
 
According to the district administration of Kondhmal , situation in some parts had improved, but tension continued in other areas such as Baliguda and Daringibadi. Many Christian families had fled their homes in Barkhama also.
 
The National Commission for Minorities (NCM) has also sought a report from the state government on the violence in four towns of Kandhamal district.
 
Protest rallies were organised in Bhubaneswar by left parties to condemn the communal violence in Kondhmal and to urge upon the Government to restore normalcy as soon as possible.
 
Odisha.in

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