Tuesday, January 8, 2008

Orissa Govt: Maoists behind riots

BHUBANESWAR: Even as an uneasy calm prevails in Kandhamal district, the State Government has found the villain behind the strife.

The Government asserted on Saturday that the riots were not triggered by conversion. The violence is not because of conversion, Chief Secretary Ajit Kumar Tripathy told mediapersons.

"We see the attack on a police station at Brahmanigaon village as handiwork of Left Wing extremists," Home Secretary T K Mishra said when asked about the role of Maoists in the violence.

Police, he said, had evidence that 'the attack on Brahmanigaon police station on December 27 was carried out strategically in a manner not possible by ordinary villagers. Trained hands could be behind the attack'.

The involvement of Maoists was evident after the recovery of 12 unlicensed guns from the village, he claimed.

Mishra clarified that the Government has not received any memorandum demanding more stringent anti-conversion laws.

He, however, maintained that the Government has an open mind on the issue. Mishra also ruled out the possibility of the trouble spreading to other parts. The Government is keeping a watch, he said.

Justifying the bar on politicians, he said such visits would hamper relief and rehabilitation operation. The fact-finding team of the Congress will have to wait, he said.

The Congress team which wanted to visit the district today had to return from Soroda. Meanwhile, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik announced a package for the riot-hit families of the district.

Source: Express News Service, January 6, 2008

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