Church Attack: Indefinite curfew in Orissa

Police officials said an unidentified youth was killed in mob violence at Barakhamba. At least eleven churches, mostly built in thatched houses, have either been ransacked or the vacant premises set on fire. Two police outposts and two police jeeps were also set on fire.

“Following largescale violence, we have imposed curfew in district headquarters town of Phulbani, Baliguda, Daringibadi and Brahmanigaon to prevent further flare-up,” said Revenue Divisional Commissioner Satyabrata Sahu.

Additional forces have been deployed in sensitive pockets of the tribal-dominated district, which has more than one lakh Christians among the total 6.50 lakh population.

Eighty-year-old Saraswati, who escaped unhurt has been at the forefront of the hate campaign against the minority community for the last 30 years.

Saraswati alleged that a group of villagers launched an attack on him at the instruction of the Congress leader.

"They attacked to eliminate me," he said adding this was for the seventh time that they failed to kill him.

Saraswati, who is a member of the VHP's 'margadarshak mandali', was attacked by a group of villagers while he was on the way to Brahmanigaom on Monday.

His driver and personal security guard were seriously injured in the incident and his car badly damaged.

While Saraswati was admitted at Darinigibadi government

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