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12 held for attack on priest in Orissa

Twelve persons have been arrested by the Kandhmal police for an attack on Beticola church's Father Lameswar Kanhar on the church premises on October 16.

The priest and the cook of the Beticola church under the Ghumsar Udayagiri police station in Orissa's Kandhmal district were attacked by a group of ten to 15 people when they protested against cattle grazing in the church compound.

The priest and cook were initially admitted to a local hospital but were shifted to the Kandhmal district headquarters hospital after their condition deteriorated.

Acording to police, the accused were produced before a first class magistrate in Udayagiri on Tuesday and remanded to jail custody.

The police also arrested four more people Tuesday in connection with the attack on four prayer houses belonging to the Christian community in the villages under Tumudibandh police station in Phulbani district. Seven persons had been arrested in the case earlier.

Additional forces have been deployed in Udayagiri, Tumudibandh, Belghar, Kolghat and Daringibadi police stations in the district as a precautionary measure.

Official sources said Inspector General (special) operation Amarananda Patnaik had rushed to the spot for investigations into the series of incidents in the district.

Deputy Inspector General of Police (Berhampur division) B N Hota and Kandhmal District Superintendent of Police P S Ranapise were camping in the area.

Hundreds of tribal Hindus took out a procession in Tumudibandh Tuesday to protest the arrest of 11 people in connection with the attack on Churches on October 3 and 4. The tribals who staged a demonstration before the Tumudibandh police station later submitted a memorandum demanding the immediate release of the 11 people.

They alleged that innocent Hindus were being unnecessarily harassed and false cases were registered against them on the pretext of attack on churches.

UNI

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