Woman burnt alive in Kandhamal violence

A woman working in a missionary run orphanage in Orissa was burnt alive on Monday by members of Hindu radical groups revolting the murder of VHP leader Laxmananda Saraswati.

According to the police, Maoists on Saturday night attacked the Swami's ashram killing the staunch Hindu nationalist and four other key VHP leaders.

While a state wide bandh was declared on Monday, the VHP members led a violent protest burning churches, attacking Christian institutions and injuring several local Christians.

“The woman supposedly a Catholic nun was killed when she tried to stop a mob from attacking orphan children. The mob reportedly ordered people out of the orphanage building before setting fire to it. The woman was thrown into the fire when she tried to stop them from attacking the children," said a Catholic report.

"Christian leaders in the villages are out of touch. Those in cites and towns are shut inside rooms, and do not move out. Several Christian priests are still hiding in forests, fearing more violence," it added.

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

Indefinite curfew was imposed in almost all parts of the Kandhamal district – including Phulbani, Tumudibandh, Baliguda, Udaygiri, Nuagaon and Tikabali – as a precautionary measure after VHP leaders accused Christians for orchestrating the naxal attack on the Swami’s ashram.

Security personnel in strength were deployed in sensitive areas, particularly churches, prayer houses and missionary institutions, in Kandhamal as well as in other tribal–dominated districts of Mayurbhanj, Sundergarh and Keonjhar, police said.