A woman was killed and eight others were injured as a mob attacked villages in fresh violence in G Udaygiri block in Orissa.
The incidents took place at Rudangia, Telingia and Gadaguda villages this morning as unidentified armed groups attacked houses, Kandhamal district collector Krishan
Kumar said but was unable to specify the number of injured.
As residents of these villages retaliated, resulting in violent clashes during which members from both sides were injured, sources said.
Nine clash victims were taken to a hospital at G Udaygiri where a woman, identified as Ramani Nayak of Rudangia village, succumbed to her injuries, hospital sources said adding that some of the injured were shifted to MKCG Medical College Hospital in Berhampur.
Some of the injured sustained bullet wounds while others had injuries inflicted by sharp-edged weapons like axe, they said. About 20 people with minor injuries were discharged after being given first aid.
About 100 houses were torched in the area and a church damaged at Rudangia, sources said. Many villagers in the area had already taken shelter at relief camps set up following the riots after the killing of VHP leader Laxmanananda Saraswati on August 23.
Additional force including CRPF and Rapid Action Force (RAF) jawans reached the spot with difficulty as obstacles like huge logs and boulders had been placed on the roads.
Though there reports of security forces opening fire in the air to control the mob, it was yet to be officially confirmed.