Bhubaneswar/New Delhi, Sept 26 : Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has demanded more forces from the Central Government to control the situation in Kandhamal district.

"The administration is controlling the situation in Kandhamal district. Every effort is being made for law and order to be maintained. The Central Government has been asked for ten more companies of force in that area," said Patnaik here on Thursday after he reviewed the situation with officials.

Meanwhile, keeping in view the continuing incidents of violence against the members of a minority community in Kandhamal, the Central Government has asked the Orissa Government to take effective, focused and firm measures to stop the violence and restore peace and normalcy in the State.

The State Government has been asked to ensure that the 43 companies of Central paramilitary forces made available to the State Government are effectively deployed and utilised, as there is a considerable scope for optimization of deployment and the use of these forces. 

The Centre has asked for a detailed report from the State Government in this regard.

Earlier, an independent fact finding mission comprising of academics and intellectuals said the attacks were selective and still unchecked.

"The people have been forced out of their villages. We saw selected houses belonging to the Christians have been burnt and the churches have been broken or burnt," said Manoranjan Mohanty, a member of the fact-finding mission.

On Thursday, curfew was clamped in nine sensitive areas of Kandhamal in the wake of fresh violence in the region.

Nearly 100 houses and a couple of churches and prayer houses were either set afire or damaged in about half-a-dozen places under Daringibadi, G Udaygiri and Tikabali police stations around dawn break.

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