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Beef rumours spark clashes in Odisha town; internet suspended

Prohibitory orders have been imposed in the town, even as police said the situation is under control. At least 12 people, including some police personnel, sustained injuries.

2 min readBhubaneswarUpdated: Jan 15, 2026 10:32 PM IST

According to officials, a rumour that members of a particular community had stored beef triggered tension and unrest, which escalated within minutes into a confrontation in a busy market area.

Rumours of stored beef sparked violence and tension between two communities in Odisha’s Sundargarh town, leaving at least 12 people injured and prompting the district administration to suspend internet services for 24 hours Thursday.

According to officials, a rumour that members of a particular community had stored beef triggered tension and unrest, which escalated within minutes into a confrontation in a busy market area. This led to violence, stone pelting and attacks with swords from both sides.

“Both groups allegedly used sharp weapons against each other and also pelted stones. Police used mild force to disperse them and brought the area under control,” an officer said.

Tensions escalated further after a meat shop and some vehicles were vandalised, and a van was set on fire.

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Prohibitory orders have been imposed in the town, even as police said the situation is under control. At least 12 people, including some police personnel, sustained injuries. All schools in Sundargarh will be closed Friday.

Sundargarh district collector Subhankar Mohapatra appealed for calm. “The administration will soon convene peace committee meeting comprising members from various communities,” the official said. “We will hold a meeting of the peace committee soon.”

“Ten platoons (300 personnel) police force have been deployed and prohibitory order under Section 163 of BNS has been imposed,” Rai said, adding that among the injured police personnel, one has been admitted to hospital.

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Apart from medical stores and emergency services, all shops and commercial establishments in the town will remain closed, said Tejaswini Behera, sub-collector, Sundargarh (Sadar).

Speaking about the incident, SDPO Nirmal Mohapatra said: “It was a group clash. So far, no one has been arrested and the situation is under control”. — With PTI

Sujit Bisoyi

Sujit Bisoyi is a Special Correspondent with the Indian Express and covers Odisha. His interests are in politics, policy and people’s stories. He tweets at @bisoyisujit87 ... Read More

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