Orissa, India (EFI News): A fast track court on Wednesday (September 23) sentenced five people to life term imprisonment for their involvement in the murder of a Christian during communal violence in Orissa's Kandhamal district last year.

EFI correspondent, Ashish Parida reported from Orissa that Additional Judge S.K  Das of the fast-track court number I at district headquarters of Phulbani sentenced Sabata Pradhan, Papu Pradhan, Abhinash Pradhan, Dharmaraj Pradhan and Mania Pradhan to life imprisonment and slapped a fine of rupees 5,000 each on them.

    It came a day after the same court sentenced three years rigorous jail term to six persons in the Kandhamal riots. The court had also acquitted five accused due to lack of evidence on Tuesday.

On September 26 last year, armed Hindu extremists beat Akbar Digal to death, his throat was slit in the presence of his wife Lodia Digal,  barely two days after riots broke out in the aftermath of VHP leader Swami Laxamananda Saraswati's killing. First Information Report (FIR) was registered on August 29, 2009 at Raikai Police station. Lodia Digal was the complainant of the case.

So far, 24 persons have been convicted and 88 acquitted in the Kandhamal riot case.

Rev. Dr. Richard Howell

General Secretary

Evangelical Fellowship of India

New Delhi, India

Evangelical Fellowship of India (established 1951) is a charter member of World Evangelical Alliance, an accredited NGO with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations