12 convicted in Kandhamal riot case

Phulbani (Orissa), Jan 31 (PTI) Two separate fasttrack courts here sentenced 12 people to rigorous imprisonmentand penalty after convicting them in cases of house burningduring the Kandhamal riot in 2008.

While disposing a case relating to house burning ofminorities at Lengisuga village under Baliguda police stationarea during the riot, the fast track court judge C R Daspronounced four years RI and Rs 3,000 penalty to 10 persons ofthe same village and acquitted four others due to lack ofproper evidence.

Similarly, the fast track court-I judge S K Daspronounced three years RI and Rs 3,000 penalty to two personsafter finding them guilty in setting fire on the houses ofminorities at Ghodabisa village under G Udaygiri policestation area.

Both the house burning cases were reported on August27, 2008, barely four days after killing of the VHP leaderSwami Laxamananda Saraswati.

Above 4,000 houses were burnt and 38 people killed inthe Kandhamal riot in the aftermath of Saraswati''s killing.