13 sentenced to six years RI in Kandhamal riots case

A fast track court in Odisha has sentenced 13 persons to six years rigorous imprisonment for their involvement in the 2008 Kandhamal riots.

Pronouncing the judgement yesterday, the court of additional sessions Judge (Fast Track Court-1) Sobhan Kumar Das acquitted six others due to lack of evidence.

The court fined each convict Rs5,000 or in default RI for another six months.

According to the prosecution, the convicts had torched houses of minorities in Salagduda under Gochhapada police station during Kandhamal riots on September 9, 2008 in the aftermath of the killing of senior VHP leader Laxmananda Saraswati at his Jalaspeta ashram in the district.