The Orissa government ordered a Crime Branch inquiry into the death of Catholic Father Bernard Digal, who was injured in the communal violence in Kandhmal in August last and died in a private hospital in Chennai on October 28.

Orissa Director General of police M M Praharaj said the Crime Branch would inquire into the circumstances that led to death of the 47-year old priest.

The Crime Branch, official sources said, would inquire as to whether the priest succumbed to the injuries he sustained during the communal violence in Kandhmal or of any other diseases.

All India Christian Council General Secretary John Dayal yesterday in a statement claimed that Mr Digal, a native of strife-torn Kandhamal district, was the first Roman Catholic priest killed in the violence.

He said the father was attacked on August 24, a day after VHP leader Swami Laxmananda Saraswati and four of his disciples were gunned down by some unknown assailants.

During the attack, Father Bernard was brutally beaten and left in a field overnight. The next morning he was taken to a local hospital and later shifted to a private hospital in Bhubaneswar.

Father Digal was later taken to Mumbai from where he was released after recovery but was recently admitted to a Chennai hospital where he breathed his last.

The Kandhmal police maintained that no FIR was lodged in connection with the attack of Father Bernard Digal.

Meanwhile, his body was flown in from Chennai to here and at the request of the Christian leaders, the doctors at the Capital Hospital conducted the autopsy to ascertain the cause of the death.

The body has been kept at the local church here to allow the well wishers to pay their last respect to the departed soul. It would be cremated here tomorrow, All Orissa Baptist Churches Federation Convenor Dr Swarupananda Patra said.

UNI