At least six people were arrested after a clash that broke out during the immersion of Durga idols in Odisha’s Cuttack Friday night left several - including Cuttack Deputy Police Commissioner Rishikesh Khilari – injured. The incident took place between 1:30 am and 2 am at Haathi Pokhari near Dargha Bazar area in the city when the immersion procession was passing through the area, the police said. According to sources, the violence broke out after the locals allegedly objected to certain songs being played during the immersion procession, leading to a verbal altercation that soon turned into violence and stone pelting. To bring the situation under control, police resorted to mild lathi charge. The procession was also halted briefly after members of the Puja committee staged a dharna demanding immediate arrest of the miscreants. “Since we had sufficient numbers of CCTVs and deployed drones, we immediately identified the miscreants and arrested them. We are investigating the circumstances and provision that led to the stone pelting. Situation is under control now,” Police Commissioner S Dev Dutta Singh said, adding that the stone pelting “was from one side and there was no retaliation”. Stating that the injured were taken to hospital immediately, police said their conditions are stated to be stable. The Cuttack DCP who sustained injuries near his eye has also joined duty, he said. Meanwhile, the immersion concluded at 9:30 am Saturday amid heavy police deployment. As tensions continued, additional police forces were also deployed in the sensitive areas of Cuttack to prevent any escalation. Former Odisha Chief Minister and Leader of Opposition Naveen Patnaik condemned the clash, saying the situation in places like Cuttack, the city of brotherhood, is alarming. “The incident of throwing stones and bottles during the Bhasani (immersion) time points to a major sensitive aspect. In peaceful Odisha, this atmosphere of unrest is never acceptable. The police administration appears completely helpless in controlling such a situation. The pressure on the police under the BJP government is disrupting law and order in the state,” Patnaik wrote on X.
