House of RS MP burnt down by mob in Orissa

Nayak is a Christian and is believed to be the leader of the Christian community in the Kandhamal district.

Radhakant Nayak told CNN-IBN, “The state government has been saying they have sent forces, but on the ground we are getting to hear there is no force. The situation is still tense.”

Earlier on Thursday, Orissa Home Secretary T K Mishra had announced that the situation had been checked.

“Situation is under control and will return to normal within 24 hours,” Mishra had said, adding that no fresh incidents of violence were reported.

But fresh incidents of violence had been reported from the Brahmnigaon area of Kandhamal district bare hours after Mishra’s statement.

Despite the curfews, a police station was damaged at Phiringia and churches were burnt at many other places, including Kalinga and Tikabali. Besides Kandhamal district, reports of arson also came from Khajuripada.

Most of these sites are remote and have been made nearly inaccessible for the security forces due to road blockades made at various places by felling trees.

There have been reports of an attempt been made by a mob to burn alive one person at Adaba police station. He has reportedly sustained 50 per cent burn injuries and has been admitted in Berhampur hospital.

11 people have been injured since Wednesday night.

The biggest fear now of the state government is that the violence might spread to neighbouring districts, which are facing similar conversion issues.

Though 20 additional police platoons have been moved into the area and in as many as 11 police stations Section 144 has been imposed, Kandhamal continue to boil.

The National Commission for Minorities has sought a report from the Orissa government on the attacks on Christians in the state.