Shivraj Patil assures security to victims of Kandhamal violence

BARAKHAMA (Kandhamal): Sporadic incidents of violence were reported in Orissa’s strife-torn Kandhamal district on Wednesday even as Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil airdashed to the affected villages. At least five shops were gutted and more than 10 houses set on fire at Gadapur near Brahmanigaon, where communal tensions first occurred on December 24. Barakhama village was one of the worst-hit areas, where two persons were killed, churches ransacked and over 400 houses set ablaze.

Mr. Patil was accompanied by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, Union Minister of State for Rural Development Chandrasekhar Sahu, Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly J. B. Patnaik and Pradesh Congress Committee president Jayadev Jena.

Speaking to newspersons at Barakhama, Mr. Patil said all measures would be taken to provide security to the victims of communal violence in Kandhamal. All communities would be covered under the arrangement.

Earlier, a helicopter carrying the team landed on the makeshift helipad near the village around 3 p.m. The leaders visited a relief camp at a local school, interacted with the victims and promised them all help. The families of Khaga Mallick and Govind Nayak, who were killed in the violence, were given an ex gratia of Rs.1 lakh each.

Mr. Patil also visited a ransacked village before leaving the place. Senior Congress leaders Mr. Patnaik and Mr. Jena said the State government failed to restore peace in the district.

Tight security was in place in view of the visit of the Ministers and senior leaders.

However, the people appeared to be still in fear. “We are in a state of panic as miscreants are roaming scot-free.” The situation might worsen when there were fewer policemen, said Pitambar Diggal and Umesh Nayak of Barakhama.

The guilty won’t be spared

Bhubaneswar Special Correspondent reports:

Later talking to journalists in Bhubaneswar, Mr. Patil said those involved in the communal violence in Kandhamal would not be spared. “Whoever was involved in the dastardly act will not be spared, irrespective of their caste, creed or religion.”

He said: “Whatever has happened is tragic. We are sorry for that. It should not have happened.”

Although the State government had announced relief measures for the violence-hit people, Mr. Patil also gave the assurance that the Centre would extend them all possible help. Those whose houses were burnt down would get new houses and adequate compensation would be provided to the next of kin of those who were killed, he said. Before visiting the violence-affected district, Mr. Patil reviewed the situation at a meeting at the Raj Bhavan.