6 sentenced in Kandhamal riot case

Bhubaneswar, Dec 23: Fast track court in Orissa sentenced six people to three years imprisonment in connection with the Kandhamal riot case on Wednesday, Dec 23.

"The convicted were accused of torching the house of Duryodhan Digal of Kuru Patia village in Kandhamal on Aug 25 last year. Digal had taken a bank loan to built his house," public prosecutor P K Patra said.

Fast Track Court-II judge Chitta Ranjan Das pronounced the judgement.

Riot broke out in Kandhamal district in 2008 following the murder of Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) leader Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati and four of his aides at his ashram Aug 23, 2008.

Suspecting the Christians as responsible behind the incident, mobs attacked the Christians in the district, in spite of the police blaming Maoists.

Two fast track courts to try cases related to the communal violence were set up by the government.

OneIndia News