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NHRC team to visit Orissa: State Chief Secretary and DGP asked to submit report

New Delhi September 16, 2008



The National Human Rights Commission will be sending an Investigation Team to the violence affected areas of Orissa to make an inquiry on the spot to ascertain the factual position.



The Commission’s move comes on a petition submitted to it by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India, seeking protection from violence at the hands of the fundamentalists. The petition said that the attacks on Christians started with the murder of VHP leader Lakshmanananda Saraswati on August 23, 2008 in Kandhamal District. Some organizations had pointed out finger at the Christian community for the murder and thereafter the community was targeted, the petition said. Further it alleged that despite the assurance of protection from the Government, the fundamentalists were moving about with lethal weapons threatening the Christians. The petitioners said that the destructive activities of the fundamentalists, even in the presence of police was forcing the Christians to flee their homes and take refuge in the forest or even leave the State. The petition highlighted that there were atleast 40 to 50 thousand refugees in the State.



The Commission after going through the petition said that the allegations raised serious questions of violation of human rights. It said that a copy of the petition be sent to the State Chief Secretary and DGP for a report within two weeks.





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