Police arrest 46 in violent–hit Kandhamal

Forty six people have been arrested in two days on charges of rioting, as violence spreads to other districts in Orissa state.

"We have arrested more than 300 people in the past month. Forty–six of them were detained in the past two days," a police official said.

There might be more arrests in the next few days if miscreants indulge in violence, officials said.

Yesterday, the police also confirmed the rape of a nun in Kandhamal region after the murder of VHP leader Laxmananda Saraswati.

The 29–year–old Catholic nun, working with the Divyajyoti Pastoral Centre at Kanjemandi village, alleged that she was dragged out of a Hindu man's house where she had taken shelter along with a 55–year–old priest, Father Thomas Chellantharayil. She told the police she was paraded naked after the rape.

Presently, there are over 5000 security personnel been deployed in the region. Curfew and prohibitory orders have also been clamped in many areas.

Meanwhile, Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) leader Praveen Togadia Friday denied that the VHP and Bajrang Dal were behind the attacks on churches in Orissa and Karnataka.

‘We do not believe in violence in any form,’ he told reporters here.

He said ‘Tribals are rising against churches as churches are hurting their sentiments. In Jharkhand, tribal sentiments were hurt by a translated Bible and similarly the Kandh tribal are hurt in Orissa by the churches.’

“The VHP and Bajrang Dal are not involved in any violent activities. None of the organisations promotes terrorism in any form. We serve people of the country,” he added.