Two tribal Christians hacked to death as violence continues in Orissa

The unabated violence in Orissa continues, as two more Christians were hacked to death by unidentified people.

The tribal Christians, Dushahan Majhi and his 15 year old son Shyam Sunder Majhi was killed in Tumudibandha area of Orissa's riot–hit Kandhamal district.

Krishnan Kumar, District Collector of Kandhamal, confirmed the deaths and said, it took place in Sindhupanka village, when miscreants attacked Majhi’s house and hacked him and his son to death with an axe.

No arrests have been made and efforts are underway to trace the culprits, police said.

With this, the death toll in the sensitive district mounted to 77 since violence erupted after the killing of VHP leader Laxmanananda Saraswati on August 23, according to Global Council of Indian Christians.

On Wednesday, mobs set fire to at least 300 Christian houses in the Raikia area of the district. On Thursday, arson and violence spread from Kandhamal to the neighbouring district of Boudh.

"Unidentified people set fire to over a hundred houses of Dalit Hindus in at least nine villages in Boudh district," said Additional District Magistrate Mihir Chandra Mallik.

"We have set up a relief camp at Kantamal town to provide food and shelter to the people who have lost their homes," he added.

Terming spread of violence to the neighbouring district as "unfortunate", Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said that senior officers and additional security personnel had rushed to Boudh to bring the situation under control.

Besides fighting violence, Patnaik said the government was also addressing the grievances of people by announcing certain package for agitating tribals.

During the mayhem since August, 18,000 people have been injured and over 50,000 people have fled their homes.

Meanwhile, a national daily has accused the Delhi police for not taking action against perpetrators who attacked a handful of Christian families at the Peeragarhi Relief Camp and demolished the frontal portion of the Christian prayer hall in the camp.

''We promptly went to rebuild it when suddenly this mob of 500 reached the place carrying saffron flags and sticks. They started pelting stones that left six people injured. There were anti–Christian slogans and then they demolished part of the hall. Policemen just looked on. On hindsight I realised that they had damaged the roof to create a situation that could later be used as an excuse for unrest,'' TOI quoted Ezik Malik, the priest–in–charge of the prayer hall saying. He added that despite repeated attempts the local police station refused to lodge a FIR but gave the community protection.

The families say they are living in constant fear of local miscreants allegedly owing allegiance to ''some religious organisations'' who accuse them of carrying out ''forced conversions'' and threaten to ''take away'' their daughters unless they ''mended their ways.''