Chief minister Naveen Patnaik talks to saints on Sunday during his visit to Jalespeta Kanyashram, where Swami Laxmananda Saraswati was killed. (PTI)

Bhubaneswar, Aug. 31: Even as chief minister Naveen Patnaik today reiterated his claim that “the situation under control” in Khandhamal district, New Delhi-based Asian Centre for Human Rights has claimed 50 persons, mainly Christians, were killed following the murder of VHP leader Swami Laxmananda Saraswati and four of his associates on August 23.

“This is an abject failure of the Indian State to protect the right to life of the citizens. Since all entry roads have been blocked with logs and the law enforcement personnel have access to remote areas of the district, the Hindu fundamentalists are being allowed to carry out mass killings of the Christians,” said Suhas Chakma, the director of the association, in a brief report, “Khandhamal Massacres: Where is the State?”

It stated that thousands of Christians have fled their villages and some 5,000 people are now living in seven relief camps at Chakapad, Tikabali, G. Udaygiri, Raikia, Baliguda, K. Nuagaon and Phiringia. About 200 villages were affected by the “organised attacks and hundreds of churches, including house churches, have been burnt”.

On the other hand, Naveen, who returned from the strife-torn district this afternoon, described the situation “under control”. No fresh casualty has been reported since yesterday. Naveen said his government had taken all precautionary measures to prevent spread of communal violence. “I have spoken to Union home minister Shivaraj Patil and request him to depute an additional 10 companies of central paramilitary force.”

Churches burnt

VHP and BJP activists attacked churches in Loisingha, Deogan, Saintala, Patnagarh blocks of Bolangir district. A church in Pandren village in Loisingha block was totally damaged. Another one in Manahara village was burnt to ashes. Churches in other villages — Mursingh, Phatkara, Dhandamal, Jharmunda, Kutrapali, and Chantimunda — were either demolished or set to fire in the past couple of days.