Violence spreads to Malkangiri

BHUBANESWAR: A clash between Hindus and Christians during Durga Puja celebrations has left 12 people injured in Orissa's southernmost Maoist-hit M

alkangiri district even as police continued their hot pursuit against rioters in Kandhmal district.

The trouble started at Padia, about 40km from Malkangiri, on the night of October 8 when a group of Hindus and Christians were gambling near a puja pandal. The next morning, some locals went to the houses of Christians and protested against these activities to their family members.

But the situation worsened in the night when a group of youths, all armed with iron rods and weapons, attacked some people near the puja mandap. Nearly a dozen people were injured. All the injured, including a local senior RSS functionary popularly known as Rambhai, have been admitted to a Malkangiri hospital.

As news spread, around 1,000 tribals, armed with bows and arrows, descended on the block headquarters town of Podia to launch an attack on Christians. But the local administration imposed prohibitory orders and dispersed the tribals.

"It was a trivial matter, but turned into a Hindu-Christian conflict. We have tightened security," SP Satish Kumar Gajbhiye told TOI over phone. "So far no one has been arrested. We are looking for the culprits," the SP said.

Sources said the administration is worried over the incident because Malkangiri, which lies between AP and Chhattisgarh, has come under Maoist attacks. The tribal-dominated district has Christian population, though less in numbers, spread over different areas.