Union Home minister Shivraj Patil visited riot hit Kandhamal district of Orissa on Wednesday even as stray incidents of violence were witnessed in the troubled tribal dominated district.

Fifteen shops and five houses were set on fire by miscreants at Brahmanigaon area of the district late on Tuesday night despite heavy police presence and imposition of curfew.

After arriving here on Wednesday morning by a special Indian Air Force(IAF) aircraft, Patil attended a high level review meeting at the Raj Bhawan. Chief minister Naveen Patnaik, chief secretary Ajit Kumar Trpathy and the Director General of state police Gopal Nanda were present at the meeting.

At the meeting state government officials apprised the Home Minister about the steps initiated by the administration to tackle the communal violence. They also explained to Patil about the rehabilitation package decided by the state government for the riot victims.

Soon after, the Home Minister left for Barakhama under Baliguda block of Kandhamal district by a helicopter. At Barakhama, one of the worst riot hit areas, Patil spoke to some to the riot victims in a relief camp. He was accompanied by chief minister Naveen Patnaik and leader of the opposition in the state assembly J B Patnaik and PCC chief Jayadev Jena.

After returning from Kandhamal, the Patil told waiting newsmen here that the Centre would extend all cooperation to the state government to restore normalcy.