Kandhmal limps to normality, no violence for last 7 days

Bhubaneswar, Oct 09 (UNI) The strife torn Kandhmal which witnessed month long arson and communal violence in the aftermath of the Killing of VHP leader Swami Laxmananda Saraswati and four of his disciples, is fast limping back to normality.

Kandhmal Superintendent of Police Praveen Kumar told UNI over phone that no violence or any untoward incidents were reported from the trouble torn district during the last one week.

He, however, said the night curfew clamped in the nine sensitive police stations, would continue for some more days as precautionary measures even though no fresh violence reported from the area during last one week.

The authority made some relaxation in the promulgation of the prohibitory orders and curfew to allow the people in the trouble torn district to celebrate the Dussehara.

The communal tension that gripped the district has so far claimed as many as 35 lives and rendered thousands homeless while several prayer halls and churches were torched by the miscreants.

State Home Secretary Tarunkanti Mishra said so far over 900 people who included rioters, mischief mongers and members from some fundamentalist organisations, have been arrested in connection with the violent incidents.

A special Orissa Crime Branch police team probing into the murder of Swami Laxmananda Saraswati, has meanwhile, arrested three people who have confessed to the crime. The police have also seized four black shirts, two masks and two guns used by the accused during the crime.

Crime Branch sources said nearly 28 people had participated in the killing of the Swamiji and four of his disciples on the night of August 23 and majority of them belonged to the people residing within the 30 kms radius of the area where the ghastly crime took place. Some more people involved in the crime, are likely to be arrested in connection with the incident, sources added.

MORE UNI DP RH DB1905