Shoot at sight was ordered in Orissa's curfew bound Kandhamal on Wednesday to contain unabated violence which has claimed nine lives in the state so far following the killing of VHP leader Laxmanananda Saraswati on Saturday night.
As the situation appeared to be slipping out of control, Union Minister of State for Home Sriprakash Jaiswal arrived Bhubaneshwar to review the situation in riot-hit Kandhamal in the wake of the killing.
"We have issued shoot at sight order following large scale violence and rioting in some curfew bound areas of Kandhamal district," Revenue Divisional Commissioner, southern division, Satyabrata Sahu told PTI over phone.
The authorities issued the order after a large number of unruly people armed with sticks and crude weapons defied curfew restrictions and indulged in arson and violence at several places between Baliguda and Udaygiri, he said.
Widespread violence also took place in Raikia area where two persons were critically injured in an attack by a mob, said Sahu, who has been camping in the district.
Residence of a former state police chief was attacked by a mob at Raikia, he said adding there was information about a large number of families from Raikia fleeing to forests.
{{/usCountry}}Residence of a former state police chief was attacked by a mob at Raikia, he said adding there was information about a large number of families from Raikia fleeing to forests.
{{/usCountry}}Though unconfirmed reports put the toll at 14, officials confirmed nine deaths in violence after the killing of Saraswati at Jalespeta in Tumudibandh.
While curfew continued in about half-a-dozen towns in Kandhamal, prohibitory orders under section 144 were in force in entire district, he said.