Orissa: 2 killed, churches targeted during saffron bandh

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Bhubaneswar, August 25:: Two persons, including a woman, were burnt to death, a pastor critically injured and at least a dozen churches were torched during a 12-hour bandh called in Orissa by the saffron brigade in protest against the killing of VHP leader Laxmanananda Saraswati.

The woman was burnt to death when unidentified persons torched an orphanage run by a Christian organisation at Phutpali in Bargarh district, official sources said.

Twenty children, who were at the orphanage, managed to escape but a pastor suffered serious burn injuries in the attack, the sources said.

Another person, identified as Rasananda Pradhan, was burnt to death when his house was set ablaze at Rupa village in Kandhamal district where the VHP leader was gunned down along with four others on Saturday night.

Churches were attacked in Khurda, Bargarh, Sundergarh, Sambalpur, Koraput, Boudh, Mayurbhanj, Jagatsinghpur and Kandhamal districts as also in the state capital, police sources said, adding 40 houses were set ablaze in Phulbani town.

As the body of Saraswati reached Chakapada in Kandhamal district for the last rites, nine shops and two vehicles were torched at Raikia while two jeeps were burnt by miscreants at Udaygiri.

Home Secretary Tarunkanti Mishra told reporters that he had information about the two casualties.