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Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has opposed the withdrawal of central forces from Kandhamal district, which witnessed communal riots last year, and demanded their re-deployment to ensure peace in the region, officials here said Friday.
"Patnaik has requested the central government to re-deploy the forces till the situation becomes completely normal," a senior official of the chief minister's office said.
Four companies of central paramilitary forces were withdrawn from Kandhamal, about 200 km from here, Wednesday. They were the last of the central forces posted there to maintain peace.
At least 4,000 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel were deployed in the district in the aftermath of the communal violence that erupted following the killing of Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) leader Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati and four of his aides Aug 23 last year.
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