Odisha: Fresh violence in Cuttack, prohibitory orders imposed in 13 police station areas

Cuttack/Bhubaneswar, Oct 5 (PTI) The Odisha government on Sunday night imposed prohibitory orders in 13 police station areas and suspended internet services in Cuttack, where 25 people were injured in fresh violence, following a recent group clash during a Durga idol immersion procession.

Police Commissioner S Dev Datta Singh said the orders will be effective for 36 hours from 10 pm on Sunday.

The prohibitory orders will be imposed in the police station areas of Dargah Bazaar, Mangalabag, Cantonment, Purighat, Lalbag, Bidanasi, Markat Nagar, CDA Phase-2, Malgodam, Badambadi, Jagatpur, Bayalis Mouza and Sadar, he told reporters.

The state government had earlier suspended internet services in areas under the Cuttack Municipal Corporation, Cuttack Development Authority (CDA) and the adjoining Bayalis Mauza region from 7 pm on Sunday till 7 pm on Monday to prevent the spread of misinformation.

The fresh incident of violence took place after the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) organised a motorcycle rally in the evening, “defying the district administration’s orders”, officials said.

Singh said participants of the rally turned violent when they were prevented from marching ahead by security personnel.

“As the rally participants’ entry into the sensitive area was aimed to create disharmony, the police stopped them, following which they started pelting stones. The personnel had to resort to mild lathicharge and use tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse them,” he said.

Twenty-five people were injured in the violence, including eight police personnel, the senior officer said.

Singh also said that in the group clash on the intervening night of Friday and Saturday, four people and two personnel suffered injuries.

Of the four injured, three were discharged from hospital on Saturday.

“The fourth person remains under medical care and is currently stable... not in any danger,” he said.

Singh said there was a false narrative being created on social media over his health condition, aimed to incite hate, fear and disrupt harmony among communities.

He said police have been actively monitoring social media platforms where “fake videos and inflammatory rumours are being circulated”.

“Strict legal action will be taken against those responsible for spreading misinformation,” he said, urging the public to refrain from forwarding unverified messages, and report any suspicious content to the authorities.

According to police, clashes broke out between 1.30 am and 2 am on Saturday near Haathi Pokhari in Daraghabazar area when an immersion procession was heading towards Debigara on the banks of the Kathajodi river.

Violence erupted after some locals objected to high-decibel music being played during the procession.

The arguments soon escalated into a confrontation when a mob started pelting stones and glass bottles from rooftops on the processions, injuring several revellers, including Cuttack DCP Khilari Rishikesh Dnyandeo.

In Sunday’s violence, CCTV cameras were damaged and shops in Gourishankar Park area were allegedly set on fire, after police personnel stopped the procession, the officials said.

Describing the incidents as “unfortunate”, Cuttack District Collector Dattatraya Bhausaheb Shinde said the situation is under control now, but the prohibitory orders were imposed as a precautionary measure.

A total of 10 companies of security personnel (130 personnel in each company) have been deployed in Cuttack, and a requisition has been made for additional force, he said.

Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, BJD chief Naveen Patnaik and Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan were among several leaders who appealed to people to maintain communal harmony.

"Cuttack is a 1,000-year-old city known for its brotherhood. Due to the actions of some miscreants, the peace of the city has been disturbed in recent days," Majhi said.

Former CM Patnaik also expressed concern over the law and order situation, and said Odisha has the reputation of being a peace-loving state.

Barabati-Cuttack MLA Sofia Firdus of the Congress said she was “saddened and worried” over the developments.

Meanwhile, the VHP has called for a 12-hour bandh in Cuttack on Monday in protest against the group clash during the Durga idol procession. PTI CORR BBM AAM MNB AAM RBT