Fresh Killings in Orissa

The Times of India
NEW DELHI: Three persons have been killed in fresh firing in Gresinghia in Kandhamal district of Orissa according to TV channel Times Now.
Police fired at the mob after two communities clashed in the area. There are reports that some crude bombs were hurled in the area. Several houses were also torched at Raikia and Udayagiri. Even as community leaders called for peace, crude bombs were also hurled on Monday at two places and houses burned as the faith-fuelled fire of hatred refused to die out in Kandhamal. Reports from various parts of the district said blasts were directed at relief camps where Christian families, who have been targetted by Hindu activists since the August 23 killing of Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati, a local VHP leader who had spewed venom against conversions. While two crude bombs exploded in separate incidents at Baliguda and K Nuagaon areas on Sunday night, five houses were reportedly torched under Gochhapada police station area in Phirigia block, officials said. No injuries were reported in Monday's violence, the official toll in the ethnic and communal violence rose to 31 with the administration confirming recovery of one more body from Badasalunki river at Bisipada village near Phulbani. On Sunday, police found the body of Priyatamma Digal, an auxiliary nursing and midwife (ANM) worker, from the river. On Monday, the body of Meghanath, Priyatamma's husband, was fished out. The couple was killed last Thursday. Local administration held discussions with representatives of warring groups. Tribal Kandh leaders have in the last couple of days called for peace and have come to the negotiating table to talk with Dalit Pana, Christian and Hindu communities as well as some moderates. "We decided to form committees comprising representatives from all religions, communities and interested groups. Such committees would move around the district and appeal for peace and amity," said district collector Krishna Kumar, who chaired the meeting. He said committees should be on the ground on October 2, marking Gandhi Jayanti celebrations. The day has also been picked for holding "sadbhavana rallies".

PTI
At least 9 injured in clash in Kandhamal
Phulbani (Orissa), Sept 30 (PTI) At least nine persons were injured, two of them critically, when a mob attacked a village in Orissa's riot-hit Kandhamal district today, police said.Armed miscreants from outside entered Rudangia village under G Udaygiri police station and attacked the villagers, Kandhamal District Collector Krishan Kumar said. The movement of forces to the site was affected as roads were blocked by felling trees and large boulders placed in some areas, sources said.The injury figure could climb higher, the Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) R P Koche said.Eyewitnesses claimed that exchange of fire had taken place between the two groups, but officials could not confirm it.Krishan Kumar said the village, located about 65 km from here, had high concentration of minorities and some of them were ex-servicemen.Sources added that nine persons were injured in the incident and some of them were admitted to G Udaygiri hospital for treatment.Of the injured, some had sustained bullet injuries, while others had wounds caused by sharp-edged weapons, hospital sources said. The condition of two was stated to be serious.

REUTERS
BHUBANESWAR, India (Reuters) - More than a dozen people were injured, some critically, after religious clashes in Orissa between Hindu and Christians, officials said.
Violence broke out at Rudangia village in Kandhamal district after Hindus attacked Christians, setting fire to their houses and burning a church, according to district collector Krishan Kumar.
The violence came after a string of attacks on Christians in three states which has left at least 33 people dead and dozens of churches damaged in the last month. Christians have responded with some violence in Orissa.
The clashes were sparked by the issue of religious conversion in Orissa's poor tribal region, home to many Christian missionary groups.
Clashes first erupted in Orissa last month after the killing of a Hindu leader linked to the main opposition Hindu-nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party. Police suspected Maoist rebels but many Hindus in the region blamed Christians.
More than 3,700 federal police have already been deployed in the area.
But violence has continued, especially in Kandhamal where thousands of Christians now live in government camps because their homes are destroyed or they are too fearful to return.
Religious clashes have also been reported in Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka.
India does not have a long history of attacks on minority Christians, but intolerance has risen in the past two decades with a revival of Hindu nationalism.