Author: IANS
Publication: The New Indian Express
Date: June 23, 2004
URL: http://www.newindpress.com/NewsItems.asp?ID=IEL20040623041726&Page=L&Title=B+R+E+A+K+I+N+G++++N+E+W+S&Topic=0&
Police were deployed in an Orissa
village following communal tension after two men allegedly threw eggs at
the idol of Lord Jagannath.
The two youths allegedly threw the
eggs at a religious procession carrying an idol of Lord Jagannath rolling
down a street in Kosamuguda village in Nabrangpur district, 510 km from
here, last week.
The men, both said to be Christians,
were identified as Balachand Harijan, 20, and Kusia Harijan, 19. Both were
outsiders to Kosamuguda and lived in neighbouring villages, police said.
Villagers complained and the two
men were arrested but then released after they apologised.
The matter however escalated when
activists of Hindu rightwing organisations intervened and demanded that
a criminal case be registered against them.
Accordingly, they were rearrested,
said Ashok Sahu, president of the Hindu Jagran Sammukhya (HJS), which is
affiliated to the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP).
A district police official added
that the two had been arrested and presented before a local court.
Kosamuguda village has a population
of about 500 tribal people, all of whom are Hindus.
Local Christian groups have denied
that they have anything to do with the incident.
