Kandhamal Violence: Mob torch Police Station, kill Policeman

A mob of 500 people attacked a police station at Gochapada in Kandhamal, killing a policeman and setting the police station on fire. The attackers were armed with country-made guns and crude weapons. They fled into the forest after carrying out the daring attack. Gochapada is just 36 km away from Phulbani. According to police officials, the cops were heavily outnumbered by the attackers.

While some sources claimed that the mob was demanding the immediate release of a man held by security personnel, others feel that it was a retaliatory attack against the police firing at Kurtamgarh on September 13, which claimed four lives.