Cops on toes in Kandhamal for Janmashtami & Laxmanananda’s death anniv

Phulbani: Elaborate security arrangements have been made to thwart any possible untoward incident on occasion of Janmashtami and 9th death anniversary of local VHP leader Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati in communally-sensitive Kandhamal district.

Seventeen platoons of police, including central forces, were mobilised across the district as VHP has planned to celebrate Nanda Utsav and the Swami’s death anniversary at various circles. The same will also be observed at Gurukula Sanskrit Vidyalaya School and Jalespeta Kanyasram. Forces have been deployed at various locations to frisk incoming vehicles, additional SP of Kandhamal Ashok Sahu said.

Three-layer security arrangements have been made for celebrations at ashrams near Jalespeta and Chakapada which were set up by the VHP leader, Sahu added. The district is considered most sensitive since it witnessed an ethno-communal riot in 2008 following killing of Saraswati.

The Hindu leader and four of his associates were gunned down by suspected Maoists at his Jalespeta ashram on August 23, 2008 when the inmates of the ashram were preparing for Janmashtami celebrations. The incident had sparked a major violence leaving around 40 dead and hundreds homeless.