Curfew relaxed in Raikia town of Kandhamal district

KandhamalKandhamal, Sept 27: The day curfew was relaxed today in Raikia town of Kandhamal district of Orissa with the improvement in the situation.

The State Government has decided to deploy armed police in every ten kilometer stretch of major roads to stop road blockades, in the district.

State Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik will review the law and order situation in the district headquarter town Phulbani later today.

A four member National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) team led by senior Superintendent of Police Mukesh Singh is visiting some of the relief camps and violence affected villages in Raikia, G. Udayagiri and Tikabali blocks

The Centre rushed on Friday more para-military forces to riot-hit Kandhamal District of Orissa, where curfew was clamped in nine sensitive areas in the wake of fresh violence on Thursday.

On Thursday, nearly 100 houses and a couple of churches and prayer houses were either set afire or damaged in about half-a-dozen places under Raikia, Daringibadi, Tikabali and G Udaygiri police stations around dawn break in which one person was killed in a crude bomb attack.

At least 42 companies of security forces including CRPF and Rapid Action Force have been deployed since violence broke out after the killing of VHP leader Laxmanananda Saraswati on August 23. (ANI)