Day after violence, Internet suspended, 26 held in Odisha town
Internet services were suspended in the western Odisha town to check rumours while prohibitory orders remained clamped in some areas ahead of Hanuman Jayanti on Friday.
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At least 10 police personnel, including two senior officers, and several others were injured during the clash. There were also reports of arson and vandalism. (Representational image) A DAY after several people, including 10 police personnel, were injured in a communal clash in Sambalpur during a motorcycle rally organised ahead of Hanuman Jayanti, police on Thursday said 26 people have been arrested and 17 others detained for the violence.
Internet services were suspended in the western Odisha town to check rumours while prohibitory orders remained clamped in some areas ahead of Hanuman Jayanti on Friday.
The Hanuman Jayanti Samanyoya Samiti, which organised the rally on Wednesday, has called for Sambalpur bandh till 5 pm on Friday. It has also decided to carry out a religious procession. With some other small local groups also planning similar rallies, Sambalpur Collector Ananya Das said adequate arrangements have been made to ensure peace.
Sambalpur SP B Gangadhar said the police are trying to collect evidence such as photographs and videos of the clash to round up those involved. Petrol bombs, bricks and stones have been seized from the violence-hit area.
Even as the Hanuman Jayanti Samanyoya Samiti alleged intelligence failure and poor police deployment, the SP said sudden provocation and reaction on the spot triggered the violence. “We still consider it as a sporadic incident. It would not be proper to say whether there is any conspiracy theory that led to violence. That can only be ascertained after a detailed inquiry,” he said.
He said adequate force have been deployed in the town to maintain law and order.
According to the FIR lodged by Dhirendra Kumar Swain, inspector-in-charge (IIC) of Bareipali police station, the rally of around 1,000 motorcyclists started at 5 pm on Wednesday from Govindtola for Golbazar area. Around 6 pm, it reached near Motijharan Chowk.
“Half of the members of the procession crossed Motijharan Chowk and the other half halted for some time and shouted religious slogans,” the FIR said. Suddenly, around 200 members of the another community reacted and started pelting stones. “The mob also attacked the members of the rally…,” said the FIR.
When the police intervened, the mob attacked pelted them with stones, causing injuries. “They did not allow police to perform its duty…,” the FIR said.
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