BARGARH :Justice AS Naidu Commission, the one-man judicial panel, set up by the State Government to probe into the killing of Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati and the resulting riots in 2008, reached Bargarh on Wednesday to record the statements of victims.
Naidu visited Missionary Workshop Training Centre in Khuntapali village at Padampur where a Hindu girl, Rajani Majhi, was burnt alive. He recorded statements of Father Ignace and watchman Ranjit and received affidavits from three persons who deposed before him on Thursday.
Those who deposed before the Commission are Father V Prabhakaran of Attabira Church, Prabhas Kumar Jal of Bukramunda village, whose house was set on fire and Suresh Kumar Nag of Brajrajnagar in Jharsuguda district.
Secretary of the Commission Anil Kumar Pattnaik said the Commission will stay put in Bargarh for three days and 10 persons will depose before it. More than 800 persons have deposed before the Commission so far and 240 cross-examined.
Lawyer for Kui Sanskrutik Parishad Suresh Pujari said most of the affidavits are out of terms of reference of the Commission and pertain to non-payment of compensation. The Commission should examine the prime witnesses at the earliest, he said.