82 acquitted in separate Kandhamal riot cases

As many as 82 people were acquitted for want of evidence in the Kandhamal riot related cases by two separate courts.

As many as 82 people were on Saturday acquitted for want of evidence in the Kandhamal riot related cases by two separate courts.

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While the fast track court-I Judge S K Das pronounced acquittal of 46 persons -- 40 people in one case and 6 others in another --- the fast track court-II judge C R Das acquitted 36 people in house burning incidents.

The house burning incidents were reported from Lingagarh village under G Udaygiri police station area, Sarangagada village under Sarangagada police station and another from Sashipadar village under Phiringia police station area.

All the three house burning incidents took place between August 25, 2008 to August 27, 2008, when the communal violence was at its pick in Kandhamal district following killing of the VHP leader Swami Laxamananda Saraswati.

With the acquittal of 82 persons, the number of persons acquitted in the riot related cases crossed 500 mark while about 180 people had been convicted so far.