Kandhamal Under Tight Security for Janmashtami, Death Anniversary of Swami Lakshmanananda Saraswati

Phulbani: Elaborate security arrangements are in place in Kandhamal for the peaceful celebration of ‘Janmashtami’ and the death anniversary of slain VHP leader Swami Lakshmanananda Saraswati on Monday.

Saraswati and his four disciples were shot dead at his Jalespeta ashram in the Kandhamal district during the Janmashtami celebrations on August 23, 2008. It triggered off intense communal violence in the district leading to at least 43 deaths, arson and rioting. At least 395 churches were attacked and thousands of houses were burnt or destroyed leaving around 75,000 people homeless.

Two ministers of the BJP government in Odisha, Rabi Narayan Naik and Suryabansi Suraj are to be in Jalespeta on Monday to attend Saraswati’s death anniversary programme.

Southern Range IG JN Pankaj and other senior police officers visited the Jalespeta ashram on Sunday to review the security arrangements.

Added to it, security has been heightened all over Kandhamal district with the deployment of armed police personnel, regular patrolling and naka checking at vulnerable places. Security is extra high at Saraswati’s two ashrams in the district at Jalespeta and Chakapada.

Kandhamal police has organized peace committee meetings at several places ahead of Janmashtami. The people have also been asked through the public announcement system not to pay any heed to rumours.