Orissa communal clash: Judicial inquiry ordered

Bhubaneswar, Dec 28: Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik today ordered a judicial inquiry into the ongoing communal clash at Kandhamal District.

A retired High Court judge will inquire into the incident leading to the clash, since as per the recent Supreme Court judgement, no sitting High Court judge could head any inquiry commission. Violence erupted in Brahamanigaon village of Kandhamal district on December 24 after the members from Christian and tribal communities clashed over the forceful erection of a gate on disputed land to celebrate Christmas. Prayer houses were damaged, houses torched and both the communities have been on an offensive, attacking each other for the past five days now.The authorities imposed a curfew, deployed 30 platoons of police personnel and three companies of CRPF after the situation went out of control.

The state government had also sought five more companies of the CRPF. The Chief Minister and state Director General of Police reviewed the situation at Phulbani yesterday.

Mr Patnaik, after the review, stated the situation was fast becoming normal, while confirming the death of one person in the clashes.

UNI