Maoist violence: 61 killed in Orissa last year

Maoists killed 28 civilians and 33 security personnel in various incidents during 2009 in Orissa, the state assembly was informed. The ultras also lost 20 cadres to the police in the same period, according to a white paper prepared by state home department. The white paper, tabled in the Assembly yesterday, stated that 182 Maoists were arrested during the year. The state witnessed 149 violent incidents related to Left Wing Extremism in the same period.

"Eight Maoist cadres surrendered before the police while 11 others were neutralised," the white paper said while claiming that the state government had successfully contained the ultras attempt to create another Lalgarh in Narayanpatna area in Orissa's Koraput district.

Though there was no major communal violence in 2009, the white paper mentioned of 15 disputes in 2009. All the religious groups observed their respective festivals without any trouble during the period, it said.

The state government also claimed that it had contained and ensured peace in Kandhamal district which witnessed large scale violence in 2008 in the aftermath of the killing of VHP leader Laxmanananda Saraswati.

Kandhamal, where communal violence took place in December 2007, witnessed the killing of 38 persons besides burning of hundreds of houses and scores of churches in 2008.

The state, however, overcame communal bitterness lat year, it claimed.