A fast track court in Orissa on Sept. 22 sentenced six people to three years of rigorous imprisonment for their involvement in an anti-Christian riot in Kandhamal district.

One of the two courts set up at Kandhamal’s Phulbani town to try riot cases convicted the six for an arson case during riots in 2007, Asian Age newspaper reported quoting public prosecutor Pradip Kumar Patra.

The case related to the burning of a journalist’s house at Phiringia village on Dec. 12, 2007. The police had arrested 11 people in the case, but let off five for “lack of evidence”.

The convicted are Ganapati Kanhar, Rabindra Kanhar, Parameshwar Kanhar, Daleswar Kanhar, Tuba Kanhar and Vijay Kanhar, all tribal and aged between 25-40.

In addition to the jail term, the court fined them 4,000 rupees each.

The tribal-dominated Kandhamal district was the focus of radical Hindu violence against Christians. An alleged attack on a Hindu leader Laxmanananda Saraswati caused violence against Christians during the 2007Christmas season.

The district witnessed large scale violence after Maoists gunned down Saraswati and four associates on Aug. 23, 2008.

Hindu radicals blamed Christians for the murder and destroyed houses, churches and convents in retaliation. About 90 people died and about 50,000 were displaced, mostly Christians, according to Church leaders.

In June, a fast-track court began hearing some 900 cases against Hindus charged with orchestrating attacks on the mostly peasant Christians. The first conviction was on June 30.

Investigating officials have arrested around 680 people, accusing them of planning, abetting and executing violence.

SOURCE:

6 get 3 years for Kandhamal riots( Asian Age)

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