Tension continues at Kandhamal

Tension ran high in riot hit Kandhamal district on Tuesday as a mob comprising 400 armed tribals killed a security person and set ablaze two police vehicles and an out post at Balandapada village before ransacking Gochapada police station, about 30 km from Phulabani, the district headquarter town in the wee hours of the day.

Security persons rushed to the areas hit by violence and the situation was under control, a top police official said.

It was the second such incident involving a clash between the tribals and security persons in a week and the incident has claimed six lives, including a jawan. With violence resurfacing in Kandhamal, the death toll in the strife-torn district has now gone up to 25 in the aftermath of killing of senior VHP leader Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati and his four disciples on August 23 by some unidentified miscreants.However, unofficial sources have put the death toll in the violence at 28.

Four persons were killed in a police firing at Kutrumagada near Tumudibandh town when the security persons opened fire on a mob which had tried to set afire the house of the panchayat sarpanch. At least a dozen persons including Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel was injured.

The condition of the CRPF jawan who is being treated at MKCG Medical College and Hospital here was stable, hospital sources said.

According to police, the exact cause of the onslaught on security persons is yet to be ascertained but it is believed that it was an act of retaliation by the mob.

According to sources, the mob ransacked the police station at Gochapada, about 30 km from Phulabani, and set afire at least two police vehicles. The irate mob also set ablaze the police out post at Balandapada village. While a jawan of Orissa State Armed Police (OSAP) was killed, several others were injured.

Even though additional security forces were deployed in the area to maintain law and order, the district administration is concerned over as the violence was spreading to new areas.