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| A sand sculpture on the riots by Sudarshan Pattnaik. Picture by Sanjib Mukherjee |
Bhubaneswar, Sept. 14: Tension brewed in parts of strife-torn Kandhamal today as nine houses were torched at Toposi and Dibadi while reports of arson trickled in from some places in Raikia. Five platoons of CRPF, Rapid Action Force and Orissa State Armed Police were deployed in those areas and in other vulnerable pockets to bring the situation under control. Trouble started in Kandhamal last evening itself after two civilians died in firing at Tumudibandha, where Swami Laxmananda Saraswati was gunned down on August 23, and a CRPF jawan was critically injured. The problem began when CRPF jawans tried to intercept a mob of 500 men, mostly Kandh tribals, on their way to Kurtamgarh gram panchayat to “discuss matters” with the village headman (sarpanch), Sisir Mallik. The headman belonging to the Pana community later converted to Christianity and some persons in the mob held grudges against the sarpanch. Facing the resistance, the mob launched an attack on the CRPF team with lathis, stones and arms. “Rioters continued to attack the jawans till the latter opened fire,” said DIG (southern range) R.P. Koche. Two protesters died in the CRPF firing, leaving two protesters dead. “The bodies are yet to be identified,” the officer confirmed. A jawan sustained a bullet injury in his neck and was rushed to the sub-divisional hospital at Baliguda. His condition is stated to be critical and has been shifted to MKCG Hospital today, said a senior officer. On Friday, too, Tumudibandha witnessed clashes. A prayer house and at least a dozen houses were set ablaze, leading to tension in the area and in the neighbouring G. Udaygiri block. Since then the security has been beefed up in the area. Several villagers left their homes for safer areas even as at least three platoons of CRPF and Orissa State Armed Police were deployed at Tumudibandha today. Meanwhile, curfew imposed on Jaipur since August 30 was lifted today. “We have lifted the curfew, as no fresh incidents of violence was reported from the area. The situation is becoming normal there,” said DIG (south-western range) Sanjeev Panda. | 
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