Phulbani (Orissa), Feb 25: Despite heavy security arrangements, no witness turned up on Wednesday to depose before Justice Basudev Panigrahi Commission probing the 2007 communal riots in Orissa`s Kandhamal district.
Justice Panigrahi, a retired judge of Orissa High
Court, waited till evening to record the statements of the
seven witnesses who were issued notices to be present before
the Commission during the day.
The seven are residents of Brahmanigaon village that
witnessed large scale violence during the riots.
"Though police had sent vehicles to escort witnesses,
none came to depose before the Commission," an official said,
adding that the commission has postponed the hearing for
tomorrow.
Notices were issued to 28 persons to depose before the
Commission, which is scheduled to record statements of victims
at G Udaygiri on February 27 and 28, they said.
Though the Commission had earlier issued notices to
different persons, none had turned up for the hearing at
Phulbani, citing the distance factor. The venue was therefore
shifted to Daringbadi and G Udayagiri this time, the sources
said.
Bureau Report
