Fresh violence and arson rock Cuttack; govt imposes 24-hour social media ban

The Odisha government has imposed a 24-hour social media ban in Cuttack city and a few nearby areas from 7 pm, Sunday. The government said the decision was taken to ensure that the internet is not misused to circulate false, provocative and inflammatory messages and fan the flames of communal violence.

On Sunday, when police tried to stop the motorcycle rally from going through sensitive areas, participants clashed with police personnel and allegedly pelted stones. This led to a lathi charge. Several police personnel sustained injuries in the clash.

“The mob has been dispersed, and we are in touch with the leaders of various communities. The situation is under control now, and we are closely monitoring the situation,” Cuttack Collector Dattatraya Bhausaheb Shinde told The Indian Express.

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. (ANI/X)

Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi appealed for peace and warned of stern action against miscreants. “Cuttack is a thousand-year-old city and has set a unique example of brotherhood. Peace has been disrupted in the city in the recent past due to some miscreants. The administration has kept a close watch on such miscreants. Strict action will be taken against them,” said Majhi.

Additional police personnel have been deployed across sensitive areas of the city and Odisha’s senior police officers have been asked to camp in Cuttack to keep a close watch on the situation.

Ahead of the bandh in Cuttack on Monday, police also conducted a flag march in sensitive areas to restore peace and boost public confidence.

On Saturday, police arrested six people for allegedly pelting stones at the immersion procession, which had triggered the violence in the early hours of the day. Several people, including Cuttack Deputy Police Commissioner Rishikesh Khilari, sustained injuries in the incident.

Leader of Opposition Naveen Patnaik has also appealed for peace in Cuttack, and Cuttack Barabati’s Congress MLA Sofia Firdous called for strict action against the miscreants trying to create unrest in the city.