25 acquitted in Kandhamal riot case

25 persons allegedly involved in the Kandhamal communal riots in Odisha in 2008 were acquitted by a local court due to lack of proper evidence against them.

Additional Sessions Judge (Fast Track) B N Mishra on Wednesday acquitted 25 persons who were booked on charges of rioting and arson.

According to the prosecution, Chitrasen Digal of Kakadabadi village had lodged an FIR with Daringbadi police alleging that armed miscreants had torched some houses in his village including his own on September 28, 2008 during the Kandhmal riots.

Acting on the FIR, Daringbadi police had arrested Sumant Digal and 24 others on the alleged charges, S Mohapatra, additional public prosecuter, said.

The riots occurred in Kandhamal, a tribal-dominated district, in the aftermath of the killing of VHP leader Laxmanananda Saraswati at the Jalespata Ashram on August 23, 2008.

Hindu groups in the state blamed Christians for killing Lakshmanananda.