Justice S C Mohapatra to probe Kandhamal violence

Bhubaneswar, Sep 2 (UNI) Former Lok Pal of Orissa and a retired High Court judge Justice Sarat Chandra Mohapatra will head the one-man commission to probe the assassination of VHP Leader Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati and the subsequent communal clashes in Kandhamal district.

Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had earlier announced a judicial inquiry to probe the killing of the Swami and four of his disciples and the violence in Kandhamal district and other parts of the state.

Mr Justice Mohapatra has just retired from the Lok Pal.

The state government had earlier in December last year also ordered a judicial inquiry into the arson, violence and communal violence in Kandhamal district and the one-man commission headed by retired judge Basudeb Panigrahi is presently conducting inquiries into the violence.

Major Opposition Congress in Orissa and the Left parties, however, have been demanding a CBI probe into the incident.

Social activist Swami Agnivesh has demanded an inquiry by a sitting Supreme Court judge.

UNI DP KK MIR KN1658