Bhubaneswar, May 7 (IANS) A court Thursday directed a second identification parade May 19 of the accused for alleged rape of a nun in Orissa's Kandhmal district during religious riots last year.
The sub-divisional judicial magistrate olagobinda Barik at Baliguda fixed May 19 for hearing, rejecting the nun's plea to shift the venue and directed her to attend the hearing on the scheduled date, her lawyer Manas Ranjan Singh told IANS.
The nun, who was reluctant to visit the region, failed to appear May 1 and May 7. Singh said the nun has already moved the Orissa High Court seeking the venue be shifted.
The 29-year-old Catholic nun was attacked by a mob and allegedly raped in Kandhamal district Aug 24 last year. She filed a complaint with the police two days later.
The crime branch of the police arrested 17 people and filed charge sheet against 10 of them Jan 29 after conducting their test identification parade.
It now wants test identification parade of seven other accused arrested later.
The high court had earlier granted permission to the nun to attend the test identification parade of 10 accused at Chaudwar jail in Cuttack district.
Kandhamal, about 200 km from here, witnessed widespread communal violence after the murder of Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) leader Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati and four of his aides at his ashram Aug 23.
At least 38 people were killed in the state and thousands of Christians were forced to flee their homes after their houses were attacked by rampaging mobs. About 3,000 people are still living in government-run relief camps in the district.
At least 13 more people are still wanted and are on the run in the nun's rape case.
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