Violence and Curfew in Kandhamal; SP, OIC suspended

Sporadic violence reported from several parts of Kandhmal district after the killing of Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati by unknown assailants at Jaleshpata Ashram on Saturday night. Several Churches and Christian institutions in Kandhamal district came under attack. The state government has dispatched additional CRPF personnel to restore law and order in the district.

Kandhamal SP Nikhil Kanodia and Tumudibandh OIC Madhusudan Jena Samant has been suspended for dereliction of duty. Barely 36 hours before his gruesome kiling, Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati had filed an FIR at Tumudibandh police letter after receiving a threatening letter. It's an irony that police took that matter lightly and did not bother to provide additional security to Laxmanananda.

The state government has ordered a judicial probe into the murder of Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati. Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has announced a compensation of Rs. 2 lakh each for the families of dead. Besides Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati, four others including Madhu Baba, Kishore Baba, Mata Bhaktimayee and the guardian of a girl inmate of the Ashram were killed in the attack. Although the state government suspect that it could be a Maoist attack, public is not willing to accept this theory. Everybody knows that Swamiji was always on the hit list of Christian ultras and missionaries.