BHUBANESWAR: The justice Basudev Panigrahi Commission which probed into violence in Kandhamal district in December, 2007 has reportedly maintained that conversion was the main reason behind the disturbances between the two communities which left three persons dead and many injured.
The retired justice, who submitted his report to the state government on November 28, 2015, has recommended coordination between leaders of different religions and administration to stop conversion. Besides, the Commission has recommended steps by the state government to improve road communication, health and education facilities and launch schemes for ensuring livelihood of tribals.
Referring to the poor road conditions in the district, the Commission maintained that police forces could have reached the places where violence occurred if the roads were in a better condition. Besides, both the sides had blockaded roads by cutting trees making it very difficult for the security forces to reach the troubled areas.
Without giving details about the recommendations made by him and reasons behind the clashes between the two communities in 2007, retired Justice Panigrahi said that bickering and ill feelings between the scheduled castes and scheduled tribes existed for many years.
Houses of families belonging to both the communities were burnt on December 24, 2007 in Bramhanigaon village. When police rescued villagers of a particular community and brought them to police station, a mob of about 500 people opened fire at the police station and the police opened fire to disperse the crowd.
In the clashes and firing that went on for more than an hour, at least three people were killed and three police officials injured. Trouble escalated on Monday when some people attacked the vehicle of VHP leader Swami Laxmananda Saraswati near Daringbadi when he was on his way to perform a yagna in Brahmanigaon. Dozens of churches and prayer houses were burnt, vehicles were torched and houses of both Hindus and Christians attacked in the days that followed.
The Commission was set up in December 29, 2007 to probe into the violence during Christmas the same year. The Commission received 481 affidavits and evidence was provided by 76 persons.