Document Fragment View

Matching Fragments

Uday Umesh Lalit, J.

1. Writ Petition (Civil) No.404 of 2008 has been filed in public interest seeking to highlight failure on part of State of Orissa in deploying adequate Police Force to maintain law and order in Kandhamal District of Orissa and in protecting innocent people whose human rights were violated after the unfortunate assassination of Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati and others on 23.08.2008 by some Maoists.

The violence in the present case started after the death of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad leader Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati allegedly by the Christians supported by the naxalites. The violence spread after the procession of the dead body of Swami Laxmananana Saraswati was taken through various parts of the district on a grand scale. Although the large scale violence started after his death, the cracks within the society were already existing as is evident from the data regarding clashes between these communities in the previous years (ref report of SP Kandhamal at P-911-913 of Annexure-II). This is also evident from the fact that litigations between both the communities are existing on the issue of reservation for the SC (Pano) Christians.”
(3) As Police Station areas of G. Udayagiri, Raikia, Tikabali & Chakapad were some of the worst affected areas during the communal/ethnic violence in 2008, Office of the Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) has been created at G. Udayagiri for better coordination and immediate response to any such situation in future.
(4) One post of Additional Superintendent of Police, Kandhamal has been created for assisting Superintendent of Police, Kandhamal in management of law and order.
5. That it is respectfully submitted that 39 persons had died in group clashes during Kandhamal Violence, 2008. In all these case Ex-gratia @ Rs.2.00 lakhs has been paid to the next-of-kins of such victims out of the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund(CMRF). Similary, Central Assistance @ Rs.3.00 lakhs to the next-of–kins of the victims have been disbursed to the NOKs of 39 deceases persons. Not a single case of reported death during Kandhamal violence is pending for sanction of ex-gratia compensation.