Peace talks in Kandhamal

For the first time since the outbreak of communal violence in Kandhamal a month back, different communities today resolved to maintain peace in this tribal dominated district.

In a bid to restore normalcy in the riot-hit district, the state government had convened a meeting of all the communities at Phulabani, the district headquarter town.

Apart from the senior district level officials including Kishan Kumar, the district collector and Praveen Kumar, the superintendent of police, the meeting was also attended by Tara Dutta, the state's commissioner-cum-secretary for Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribe (ST) development.

The meeting of all communities in Kandhamal to restore peace follows the recent visit of the state chief minister Naveen Patnaik to the district during which he had announced a special development package and also emphasised on maintenance of law and order in the district.

It may be noted that the tribal people in Kandhamal district had agreed to refrain from any violent activity after a firm appeal for peace given by Kui Samaj coordination committee, a tribal organisation on Sunday.

Kandhamal district had witnessed an outbreak of communal violence in the aftermath of the killing of senior VHP leader Swami Laxmananda Saraswati and his four disciples by some unidentified miscreants on August 23.

Baring a few minor incidents, the district officials said that no major untoward incident was reported anywhere in the district.

However, tension prevailed at K Nuagaon and Tikabali areas, when the police found a bomb near the relief camp and several women folk attacked the Central forces.

Meanwhile, the police recovered at least three bodies from the Pilasalunki river from different places. The deceased persons have been identified and they were from Shankarkhola area of the district.

With the recovery of the three bodies, the death toll in the district in the violence has reached 31.

However, unofficial sources have put the death toll in the district at 42.