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Kandhamal peaceful, Supreme Court told

New Delhi: Both the Central and Orissa governments informed the Supreme Court on Thursday that the situation in Kandhamal district, which witnessed communal riots, was now peaceful.

Additional Solicitor-General Gopal Subramaniam submitted before a Bench, consisting of Chief Justice K. G. Balakrishnan and Justice P. Sathasivam, that the situation in the district vastly improved after the court intervention.

Senior counsel K.K. Venugopal, appearing for Orissa, said the State was now peaceful.

Senior counsel Colin Gonzalves, appearing for the petitioner, Archbishop of Cuttack Raphael Cheenath, however, maintained that the situation was still tense, but under control.

In view of the claims, the Bench adjourned the hearing by four weeks.

The Archbishop had sought a CBI probe into the killings of Christians and damage caused to churches and other institutions in Kandhamal district.

In its affidavit, the Orissa government said the plea for a CBI inquiry was not maintainable as it had already appointed a commission headed by S.C. Mohapatra, a retired High Court judge. It would probe the circumstances that led to the murder of Swami Lakshmanananda and the violence which broke out thereafter.

Denying that Christians and churches were targeted, the government said the number of persons killed was 18, and not 27 as claimed by the Archbishop. It explained the steps taken by the administration including deployment of para-military forces to contain the situation, and the relief and rehabilitation measures for the riot victims.

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