Over 1 lakh accused in Kandhmal case, say Orissa cops

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PHULBANI (Kandhmal): Holding trial for the accused in the recent communal riots in Kandhmal district of Orissa could turn out to be an onerous and
long drawn process as over a lakh people have been accused of their involvement in the violence. The police, based on 698 FIRs filed in connection with the carnage that happened mostly in August and September in the southern Orissa district, have found that 11,348 people are named accused, while over 89,424 people have been categorized as others in the complaints. "The number would go further up as 75 more cases have been lodged since we made the assessment a few days ago,'' a senior police officer said. Conducting investigation, arresting the accused and organizing trial for such a huge number of accused is being viewed as a "big challenge'' for the state administration, admitted officials. "This is an unprecedented situation in Orissa. We have never dealt with a law and order situation of this magnitude,'' pointed out a top cop. Officially, 39 people were killed in the religious mayhem. Police have so far arrested around 700 people in connection with the murders, arson and other violence that took place in Kandhmal. Even incarcerating those arrested has been a major headache as the states prisons are overcrowded. The jails in Kandhmal district could not accommodate such large number forcing us to shift a good person of the under trials to jails in Ganjam and other places, official sources said. In such a scenario, police are at odds to nab all the accused and, going by sources, want to concentrate on the core elements who number around 200. "Our focus is to punish the core accused. It would be unmanageable if we chase one lakh people. Besides considering it as a social problem we have to tackle the problem tactfully. Else, if we succeed in taking action all named and unnamed accused in the FIRs then peace would never return to Kandhmal,'' said the senior police officer. "We plan to club cases involving the same accused and focus only on those against whom evidence is available.'' DGP Manmohan Praharaj told TOI, "We have already put around 50 police officers of different ranks on the job to assist in investigating the case.''He admitted that the number of people accused in the cases is "huge''. "We will do whatever we can in step with the law.'' Special administrator, Kandhmal, Madhusudan Padhi said, The government has decided to set up fast track courts to expeditiously dispose of the cases.