Click to play videoNew Delhi: Parts of Orissa continue to burn in the ongoing communal violence that has claimed more than 30 lives. On Tuesday, more than 100 houses were burnt in the G Udaigiri area of Kandhamal district in Orissa.
Armed miscreants from outside entered Rudangia village under G Udaygiri police station and attacked the villagers, Kandhamal District Collector Krishan Kumar was quoted by news agency PTI as saying. The villagers retaliated resulting in the clash, Kumar said.
At least nine persons were injured, two of them critically. Of the injured, some had sustained bullet injuries, while others had wounds caused by sharp-edged weapons, hospital sources said.
The situation was brought under control after a police team reached the spot, he said, adding that Superintendent of Police Praveen Kumar had also rushed to the spot.
However, movement of forces to the site was affected as roads were blocked by felling trees and large boulders placed in some areas, sources said.
The injury figure could climb higher, the Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) R P Koche said. Eyewitnesses claimed that exchange of fire had taken place between the two groups, but officials could not confirm it.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who is in France, has already described the continuing violence against Christians as a 'National Shame'.
"I have myself condemned these as acts of national shame. Central government has sent its forces to enable the sate governments to enforce law and order," Manmohan said.
Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has said that strict action will be taken against all those involved in the violence.
"This is very unfortunate. Senior officers have rushed to the spot and the the guilty will be dealt with very severely," he said.
Christian properties have been targeted by the Hindu activists since the August 23 killing of VHP leader Swami Laxmanananda Sarwathi at his Jalespeta ashram in Tumudibandh area.
Police suspect Maoist rebels killed Saraswati but some Hindu groups blamed Christians for the murder and went on the rampage. Christian groups have repeatedly denied the allegation.
Since then, thousands of people have been rendered homeless and many churches attacked in the district.
Nearly 4,000 security personnel have been deployed and prohibitory orders are still in force in the district. Night curfew continues in most towns.
Though police maintains that no fresh violence has been reported from any part of the district, reports of arson have been coming in from villages in the interior.
Earlier, Home Minister Shivraj Patil had issued a warning under Artcile 355 to the BJP government in Orissa asking it to prevent further violence against Christians.
Orissa is not new to communal violence between Hindus and Christians.
On Jan 22, 1999, Australian missionary Graham Staines and his two sons, 10-year-old Philip and six-year-old Timothy, were burnt alive by a Hindu mob in their vehicle in Keonjhar district.
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