Prime accused in Kandhamal violence out of jail

One of the prime accused in August 2008's Kandhamal violence was on Sunday released from jail to take oath as a member of the new legislative assembly.

Manoj Kumar Pradhan of G Udaygiri constituency in Kandhamal district has at least 14 criminal cases including seven charges of murder. He was arrested during the peak of violence last October in the aftermath of Swami Laxmananda's murder.

While still in jail, the Bharaitya Janata Party (BJP) representative contested in elections and won the assembly polls from G. Udaygiri seat.

Pradhan won with a margin of nearly 24,000 votes and is set to take oath on Monday. He is one of six BJP MLA's in the 147-member House.

The firebrand MLA was released Sunday after the Orissa High Court granted an interim bail. Apparently the bail is only for two weeks and Pradhan must return to jail to face cases still pending against him.

While the euphoric BJP is celebrating Pradhan's release, police have expressed apprehensions of violence returning to the tribal district that witnessed one of the largest anti-Christian violence last year.

Pradhan after his release told reporters that "issues relating to land, fake certificates and illegal conversions are responsible for the violence in Kandhamal."

He even denied his involvement in riots and said he was "falsely implicated".

He also tried a hand wooing Christians by urging the riot victims to return as things were back to normal. He even gave his consent to "legal religious conversions" which he said stands unopposed.

The BJP MLA, who is in the Maoist hit list, is accused of several cases including murder, arson, communal violence, rioting, etc. He was arrested October from a hotel in Berhampur when the communal flare up in Kandhamal left dozens dead and thousands homeless.

According to a Christian advocacy group, the violence since August had damaged 315 villages and destroyed 4,640 Christian houses. Additionally, 70 people were killed, 18,000 Christians were injured and 54,000 were rendered homeless.

An estimated 300 churches were destroyed and 13 Christian schools and colleges damaged when Hindu mobs went on a rampage accusing Christians for the murder of Swami Laxmananda. The violence took place even after the Maoists claimed repeated responsibility for the slaying.