Fresh violence NHRC team visits Kandhamal,Orissa

2008-09-28 07:10:52 - Christian leader complete sit at Jantar Mantar Dharna for second day and Former PM Dewa Gowda visited Janta Mantar.The leaders are planning to send memorandum to President,Sonia Gandhi for the atrocities committed on Christians.

Violence,arson and damage to Christian properties, houses,
continues ,a church and a prayer hall were either torched or damaged
by miscreants at Raikia, G Udaygiri, Daringibadi and some other areas,
sources said.More than three dozen houses, a church and a prayer hall
have been attacked as fresh violence and arson erupted on Saturday at
several places of Orissa's riot-torn Kandhamal.

Raikia Area, which witnessed largescale violence
in the last four
days, about half-a-dozen houses were damaged at Lumungia village by a
group of about 50 people.The incidents occurred when the chief
minister was reviewing the situation at a closed-door meeting at the
district headquarter town here with senior officials.

The four-member team of National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), which
arrived here yesterday, visited a relief camp here and met tribal
leader Lambodar Kanhar and representatives of the minority
community.They also visited some places of Raikia, G Udaygiri and
Tikabali, sources said.

The death toll in communal violence has touched 29 since the riots
broke out in Kandhamal after the killing of VHP leader Laxmanananda
Saraswati on 23rd August.A total of 267 people have been arrested in
313 cases of arson and rioting so far, the sources said.
2008-09-27 05:57:21 - A team of National Human Rights Commission has reached Kandhamaldistrict to take stock of the situation. The four member team lead by special Superintendent of Police Mr. Mukesh Singh has held a first round discussion with the district administration on Friday

NHRC team will meet tribal leaders, representatives of various communities including Christian minorities during their eight days stay in the district. The
NHRC team is also scheduled to visit some of the violence affected villages and relief camps. Meanwhile, more forces are mobilised to the district after fresh cases of violence in Raikia area. The day curfew is still in force

in the area.

Continuing Violence in Kandhamal has led the Orissa overnment's
request for 1,000 more para- military personnel for deployment in
sensitive areas of Kandhamal district after the outbreak of fresh
violence.Home Ministry official on Friday said on the querry about
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik's demand for additional forces for the
riot-hit tribal district."We are looking into the request," home
official said.The Orissa state already has around 5,000 para-military
force personnel who were rushed when the Kandhamal situation assumed
alarming proportion.

The decision to seek additional central forces came in the wake of
fresh violence after the Chief Minister reviewed the situation in
Kandhamal about 100 houses and a couple of churches were either
torched or damaged on Thursday.

Centre has directed the state to take "firm and effective" steps to
deal with continued violence in the state. Companies of Paramilitary
Forces have been deployed in troubled areas of the district to
strengthen security and prevent further flare up.
However, force mobilisation to strengthen vulnerable areas became
tough as miscreants blocked a large number of roads by felling trees
and putting boulders. The obstacles are being removed on a war
footing. No fresh violence took place on Friday and the situation
remained tense but under control.