Shoot-at-sight orders in Kandhamal, Centre says situation out of control

The orders came even as Union Minister of State for Home Sriprakash Jaiswal expressed his dissatisfaction over the bandh in Kandhamal.

Revenue Divisional Commissioner (southern division) Satyabrata Sahu said shoot-at-sight orders were issued in places like Kandhamal, Baliguda, Tumudibandh, Raikia, Nuagaon, G Udaygiri, Tikabali and Sankarakhol.

The authorities issued the orders after a large number of people armed with sticks and sharp weapons defied curfew restrictions and indulged in arson and violence in several places between Baliguda and G Udaygiri, he said.

One more person, Gayadhar Digal, a resident of Firingia Block, was killed on Wednesday when unknown assailants attacked him with a sharp-edged weapon. While unofficial sources put the death toll at 14, officials confirmed only nine deaths. They added rural areas in Kandhamal saw large-scale violence and arson as miscreants put obstacles like logs and boulders on roads to prevent the police from marching in.

As many as 123 persons have been arrested so far and 11 cases have been registered in different incidents. According to Sahu, four persons have been detained in connection with the killing of Lakshmanananda Saraswati.

Jaiswal, who arrived here on Wednesday, said the state had failed to control the violence. “Had they taken effective steps, the situation could have been controlled. The situation is out of control,” he added.

He said both the Prime Minister and Home Minister were worried over the situation at Kandhamal and the Centre was ready to rush more forces and choppers to bring the situation under control. Jaiswal, who was supposed to fly to Kandhamal in a helicopter, put off his visit after a request from the state Government not to undertake the tour.

Violence erupted in Kandhamal and spread to other districts following the killing of VHP leader Lakshmanananda Saraswati and four others on Saturday night. But the political temperature in the state did not shoot up as expected after senior BJP leaders and Sangh satraps went into a firefighting mode to calm their restive cadres. Though several BJP MLAs want to use the opportunity to withdraw from the Naveen Patnaik ministry, party president Suresh Pujari discounted such a possibility.

The party has asked its cadres to wait for a few days before any decision can be taken on the fate of two senior BJP ministers who are facing increasing hostility from the VHP for their “astonishing silence” over the killing of Lakshmanananda.

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