Undeterred by heavy deployment of security in the wake of attacks on churches, suspected saffron activists on Wednesday attacked 10 houses mostly belonging to Christians injuring 11 people in fresh outbreak of violence and arson in riot-hit Kandhamal district.
The activists also set afire a police station at Phiringia, one of the violence-hit areas in Kandhamal, Director-General of Police Gopal Nanda told PTI.
Fresh violence broke out in the wee hours in Brakhama area where four houses were set on fire stones were pelted, leaving 11 people injured, police sources said.
About half-a-dozen houses belonging to Christians were attacked and residents threatened by unidentified persons in Jaleshpata, they said.
Curfew remained in place in the four sensitve towns of Baliguda, Daringibadi, Brahmanigaon and Phulbani, which witnessed communal violence, and there was no report of fresh trouble from there, Revenue Divisional Commissioner Satyabrata Sahu said.
Prohibitory orders have been clamped in the entire district, Home Secretary TK Mishra said adding the situation was under control even as sporadic violence took place during the day.
Sahu claimed the situation was gradually improving but did not rule out sporadic violence in villages which remained out of the purview of curfew.
{{/usCountry}}Sahu claimed the situation was gradually improving but did not rule out sporadic violence in villages which remained out of the purview of curfew.
{{/usCountry}}Tension continued to prevail in the tribal-dominated district where churches and convents were attacked and set afire on Tuesday after an assault on VHP leader Laxamanananda Saraswati who led an anti-conversion movement in the area.