TNN
 
Kandhamal, Jun 27: Home minister P Chidambaram, who is on a two-day visit to Orissa, on Friday said sorry to the Christian riot victims here.

A number of churches were burnt and thousands of Christians, mainly tribals, had to flee their villages after being targeted by Hindus in the wake of the killing of VHP leader Swami Lakshmanand Saraswati by Maoists last year.

Kandhamal had witnessed the killing of 38 Christians during the communal violence.

The victims have been living in different relief camps for nearly 10 months.

Appealing to displaced Christians to return to their villages, Chidambaram said, "I am sorry for what happened. Those who had done this will be punished. Please go back to your villages and start your life once again. I came here to look at your conditions. Centre and Orissa government will do everything to remove your difficulties,” he said.

"You must be confident that you are safe...wrongdoers will be punished. There is a need for all sections of society to live together," he added.

He asked the victims to go back to villages and said the government would give them full protection.

Accompanied by senior state police officers, including DGP and district civil officials, the home minister visited all the relief camps in the area.

A day earlier, in another Naxal-affected district in Koraput, Chidambaram on Thursday reviewed the security situation and took firsthand reports of preparedness to take on red ultras.

Orissa seeks substantial support from the Centre to build its police infrastructure.