The Hindu : Front Page : Peace process being initiated in Orissa district

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Dec 26, 2007
ePaper

Front Page

Front Page

Peace process being initiated in Orissa district

Sib Kumar Das

Photo: Lingaraj Panda

VHP activists stop the Falulknama Express at the Berhampur Railway Station on Tuesday in protest against the attack on their leader Laxmanananda Saraswati in Phulbani on Monday. —

Berhampur: The trouble started in Brahmanigaon when two groups clashed over the erection of a decorative arch for Christmas on Monday morning. Country guns were used leading to injuries to two persons.

Follwing this, the vehicle of senior VHP leader, Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati, who was on his way to Brahmanigaon was attacked by a group near Daringbadi. He, his driver and police bodyguard were injured. This led to a communal flare-up.

The Revenue Divisional Commissioner (RDC), southern division, Satyabrata Sahu, told The Hindu that officials from adjoining districts were being brought in to initiate a peace process.

The VHP gave a 12-hour bandh call in the district on Tuesday, coinciding with a 36-hour bandh call given by a tribal organisation, Kui Coordination Committee, to start from Tuesday morning.

These simultaneous agitations made the district a virtual war zone. Police could not reach most places as agitators had cut down trees and blocked the roads. At Barakhama near Baliguda a tribal died as two groups indulged in stone-pelting.

VHP supporters allegedly damaged churches at Barakhama, Pabingia, Baliguda and Masripada.

They also damaged vehicles of two Christian organisations at Daringbadi and Phulbani. The buses of an English medium school at Phulbani were also ransacked. Some reports said a few houses were burnt down at Pabingia and Brahmanigaon on Monday night.

A mob torched the Tikabali police station and two police vehicles kept there.

Kui tribals targeted the houses of Minister Behera at Phiringia and Phulbani. Both houses were ransacked and two four-wheelers and five motorcycles were burnt down.

Inspector General of Police Pradip Kapur and Deputy Inspector General R.P. Koche were camping in Phulbani to monitor the situation.

Restrictions under Section 144 were imposed in Daringbadi, Baliguda and Tikabali blocks. Mr. Kapur said 20 platoons of armed police along with magistrates were ready for action in tension-prone areas.

According to him those who indulged in the violence were being detained. Nine persons were arrested in relation to the attack on the VHP leader. Four were arrested and three detained in relation to the communal clash at Brahmanigaon.

CM appeals for peace

PTI reports from Bhubaneswar:

Expressing concern over the violence, Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik asked people to maintain peace, tranquillity and communal harmony.

“Everyone should come forward to maintain the rich tradition of the state’s communal harmony,” he said in a statement.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Front Page