Christian families still still hiding in the jungles, says CRPF

The Central Reserve Police Force, which has been deployed in trouble-torn Orissa, is making all efforts to bring back the violence-affected families who have fled their homes for forests fearing attack from right-wing groups.

"Christian families continue to be holed up in the forests and we are making all out efforts to bring them back. On Wednesday, we rescued such a group and had also taken into custody 75 people who were trying to set ablaze a house," a senior CRPF official, overseeing the force's deployment in the state, said.

The central paramilitary force is also providing security to foreign missionaries in the worst-affected Kandhamal district.

Notwithstanding the shoot-at-sight order imposed in eight blocks of the district, violence continued on Thursday in remote areas in a backlash to the killing of VHP leader Laxmanananda Saraswati.

"Though tension prevails in some remote areas, the situation has been brought under control in 6 to 7 out of the 12 blocks of the district," district collector Krishan Kumar said.

The violence was reported from Tikabali, G Udaygiri and other areas. Additional central forces have arrived in the troubled areas but were facing difficulty in movement because of obstacles on roads. More central forces are expected, Kumar said.

Violence spread to areas outside Kandhamal too with some incidents reported from Sundergarh, Rayagada, Gajapati and Bolangir districts.