Eight villagers killed in firing

BERHAMPUR, DEC. 31. Eight persons, including a woman, were killed and 15 injured in an armed clash between tribals and police at Majihuda village in Orissa's Gajapati district, official sources said today.

Seven tribals, the woman among them, were killed when police opened fire in `self-defence' following an attack with countrymade firearms, bows and arrows on their camp yesterday, they said.

A Scheduled Caste person was also killed, allegedly by the tribals, the sources said but denied any communal angle to the incident.

The tribals had blocked the roads to the village under Adaba police station and disconnected all its telephone lines and VHF channels before swooping down on the policemen.

The attackers also torched several houses in the village belonging to Scheduled Castes, many of whom were Christians, they said.

The clash followed a day after the tribals had gone to the camp to complain about the breaking of their toddy pots by policemen.

- PTI

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Section  : Regional
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