Two hacked to death in Kandhamal,CB inquiry into nun rape case

Bhubaneswar, Oct 3 (UNI) Following the hacking of two persons to death in Kandhmal district, Orissa government today ordered a Crime Branch inquiry into the rape of a nun while placing Baliguda Police officer under suspension in connection with the ghastly incident.

Kandhmal Superintendent of Police Praveen Kumar told UNI the killing of two persons by a mob was not connected with the communal violence at Kandhmal but a fall-out of a political rivalry.

He said the mob armed with lethal weapons attacked the house of one Dushashan Majhi at Deopatta village last night where Sanyashi Majhi of Kandam village was also staying. Seeing the mob, both Dushashan and Sanyashi fled from the house but the mob chased and finally hacked them to death with an axe.

Mr Kumar said so far no one has been arrested in connection with the incident adding that barring the killing of the two people, no other untoward incident was reported from the district during the last 24 hours.

He said preliminary investigation revealed that Dushashan Majhi had some political rivalry with another group which the police suspected had carried out the brutal attack.

Although the two were hacked to death late last night, the police recovered the bodies today near Mundiguda village under the sensitive Tumudibandh police station limit, where the day curfew was lifted this morning.

Meanwhile, the Orissa government today ordered a Crime Branch inquiry by the Inspector General of Police into the alleged rape of a nun on August 25.

The government also suspended Baliguda Police Station Officer -in-Charge K M Rao in this connection as the victim had lodged an FIR with the Baliguda police station on August 26.

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, who ordered CB inquiry into the case described the incident as ''most shameful''and announced that stringent action would be taken against those who committed the crime.

Kandhmal Superintendent of Police Praveen Kumar said four people were arrested and forwarded to the court today in connection with the rape case after the medical examination confirmed the same.

Although the nun was medically examined, but the report was not made available with the police as the doctor concerned went on leave in the wake of communal violence in the area without submitting the same.

The four arrested were also medically examined before being produced in a local court.

The incident took place just two days after senior VHP leader Swami Laxmananda Saraswati and four of his disciples were assassinated by unknown assailants in Jalaspeta Ashrma in Kandhmal.

The murder of the Swamiji sparked off arson and communal tension in the district in which places of worship and several houses were torched by the mob.

The district had since been witnessing bloody clashes between two communities and the police forces, resulting in the death of over 35 people in a month.

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