‘Brawl’ led to man’s death in Sambalpur, no link to communal tension: Police

“The incident (stabbing) occurred on the outer ring road area, which is an isolated spot. It was not a part of the route of the procession. We are considering it a murder. The motive behind the crime will be known only after a detailed inquiry,” said Sambalpur Superintendent of Police B Gangadhar.

The police have detained one person, who was part of the group which allegedly attacked and killed the youth, and he is being questioned, said the officer.

The youth was cremated after his post-mortem on Friday night, police sources said.

Meanwhile, incidents of arson were reported from eight to nine places in the town on Friday; several shops were set on fire by unknown miscreants. The police have arrested seven to eight persons for their alleged involvement in the “rioting”.

The Sambalpur district administration has imposed curfew in the town following Friday’s violence and extended the suspension of Internet services till Monday to curb spread of any misinformation.

DGP Sunil Kumar Bansal took stock of the situation, along with senior police officers, and said steps are being taken to restore normalcy in the town. He warned of strict action against the miscreants involved in the rioting.

The Hanuman Jayanti is celebrated in Sambalpur by at least 30 to 40 organisations in their respective localities. The Hanuman Jayanti Samanyoya Samiti coordinates the grand procession taken out in the city since the past 40 years. Traditional martial arts and display of swords mark the procession.

Though there is a history of tension in Sambalpur on the occasion of Hanuman Jayanti, the city has never witnessed rioting earlier.

The BJP has questioned the silence of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, who also holds the home portfolio, on the violence.

The police in Jharsuguda district, neighbouring Sambalpur, where a by-election is due on May 10, appealed to people not to post anything that can incite communal tension in any public or private WhatsApp group or through any other social media platforms.