Bhubaneswar, Nov. 6: A special team will be constituted by Orissa police to complete investigations of all riot-related cases in Kandhamal within the next three months.

Announcing this at a news conference this evening, director-general of police M.M. Praharaj said the special team, headed by inspector-general (crime), would comprise 40-50 selected officers from the rank of assistant sub-inspectors to additional superintendent of police, from across the state.

The DGP explained that it was getting “impossible” to track all accused and complete investigations of 700 cases related to the Kandhamal violence with a handful of officers. “Hence, officers with prior experience will be mobilised to help complete the task and file chargesheets,” he said. “There is a need for expeditious investigation, as a fast-track court is being set up in Kandhamal for the trial of all riot cases,” Praharaj said.

For now, the police are endeavouring to restore peace in the district in a time-bound manner. As many as 39 companies of CRPF, three companies of RAF and eight platoons of Osap have been deployed in Kandhamal.

Countering the allegation about indiscriminate arrest of tribals in Kandhamal, Praharaj said: “We are going for selected arrests, based on prima facie evidence.”

Murder allegation

General secretary of Vanavasi Kalyan Ashram’s state unit Laxmikant Dash today alleged that the murder of an contractor in Kandhamal was the handiwork of missionary-sponsored goons and not Naxalites.

He demanded arrest of the assailants, security for Hindus in Brahmanigaon and a compensation of Rs 10 lakh to the family of the RSS sympathiser Dhanu Pradhan.