Two die in fresh Orissa violence 14 Sep 2008, 0346 hrs IST, Sandeep Mishra,TNN Times of India
BHUBANESWAR: The situation in the volatile Kandhamal district of Orissa spiralled out of control again on Saturday as a mob of rioters exchanged fire with the security forces in Tumudibandh area, leaving at least two people dead and a CRPF jawan seriously injured. The district has been on a boil since the murder of a VHP leader three weeks ago. With the latest deaths, the communal violence in Kandhamal during the past few weeks has claimed at least 21 lives. On Saturday, the situation turned violent after police tried to resist a mob from attacking a church and the house of the local sarpanch, officials said. Trouble started when a large group comprising local Kandh tribals damaged a church and set afire the house of a villager. The mob, including around 50 men armed with country-made guns and traditional weapons, was allegedly looking for local sarpanch Sisir Mallick, who is from the dalit Pana community but has converted to Christianity, sources said.