Life has been limping back to normal in the riot-hit Kandhamal with no fresh trouble reported amid suspension of daytime curfew and deployment of 500 personnel of CRPF.
Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil, who visited Kahdhamal on Wednesday and reviewed the situation there, announced the ex-gratia payment of Rs 3 lakh to each families of the deceased.
"This sort of incident which took place here is unprecedented," Patil said adding that the present situation in the district was somewhere between "normal and volatile".
Peace was returning to Kandhamal, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said, asking the officials to respond to the Supreme Court which asked for a report on the steps taken by the state government to protect the lives of Christians.
As a large number of people have shifted to 10 relief camps guarded by security personnel round-the-clock in the district, most of the villages remain vacant.
"I understand that people are still in panic as most of the villages remain deserted," Patil told reporters after visiting Tiangia village where at least four persons were killed and several houses burnt during the riot.
With the arrival of five companies (nearly 500 personnel) of CRPF, now there are 17 companies of para-military forces including two companies of Rapid Action Force, 24 platoons (one platoon comprises 30 personnel) of Orissa Special Armed Police (OSAP) and three platoons of APR forces along with two teams of the state's elite anti-naxalite Special Operation Group (SOG) in Kandhamal.
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