Kandhamal police have finally arrested 35 people for instigating communal clashes in the district. Of them, there are activists of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and the Vishwa Hindu Parishad.
The attack in Rudangia area on Tuesday, where a woman was hacked to death and 12 injured, triggered the police action.
Kandhamal district police chief Praveen Kumar told HT: “We have made 35 arrests in the last 24 hours. Indefinite curfew was imposed in nine places.”
Though Kumar did not comment on the affiliations of those arrested, sources said there was sufficient evidence to prove that some of them are from the RSS and VHP.
Till Wednesday evening, no death was reported, although several houses were torched in Raikia area of the district. The authorities have issued orders to surrender all licensed guns in 24 hours.
The Centre has agreed to provide 10 more CRPF companies in Kandhamal, besides the 36 already deployed in the district.