Sangh Parivar accused of setting fire to govt offices: Kandhamal

Deposing before a judicial commission inquiring last year's violence against Christians in Kandhamal district, a police official testified that, Sangh Parivar members were involved in burning police jeep and government offices.

Gobind Chandra Sethi, sub-divisional police officer in Phulbani, told Justice SC Mohapatra Commission, "Activists of RSS, VHP and Bajrang Dal were involved in setting fire to a police jeep and offices of he Revenue Inspector and Additional Tehsildar at Khajurpada" in the aftermath of Swami Laxmananda's killing in Kandhamal.

He corroborated that since August 25, 2008 a bandh was organized by the three outfits, "it was obvious they indulged in the act". The official however did not mention the names of any activists who committed the crime.

Gobind also told the panel that two BJP leaders had visited the district during the bandh. He recalled that his jeep was set fire while returning to Khajurpada after escorting the ministers.

Meanwhile, former Inspector in-Charge of Kotgarh police station H K Pradhan told the panel that there was no case of conversion registered in his police stationr. He also supported the view that Maoists killed Saraswati to expand their network in the tribal district and also to appease minority groups.

Kandhamal, last year, witnessed unprecedented communal violence following the killing of Saraswati and four others at Jalespata under Tumudibandha police station limits on August 23. Thousands of Christians were affected from the violence.