Bhubaneswar, Sep 4 - The Orissa government has shut down the last of the relief camps for the victims of communal riots in Kandhamal district, an official said Friday.

'We have shut down the last two relief camps at Tiangia and Mandakia. We have asked people to go back to their homes,' Kandhamal District Collector Krishan Kumar told IANS.

The camps had a total of around 700 people living in them.

At least 38 people were killed in violence in Kandhamal following the murder of Hindu right wing leader Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati and four of his aides in August last year.

More than 25,000 Christians were forced to flee after their houses were attacked by rampaging mobs, who held them responsible for Saraswati's killing although the police blamed the Maoist rebels. The Maoists later owned up the killings.

The administration had set up 13 relief camps in the district to provide protection to the victims.