Curfew was imposed in Odisha’s Balasore town after a violent clash between two groups resulted in injuries to five people and the destruction of close to 20 vehicles.
As many as 40 platoon security forces were deployed in the area, and police said the curfew was clamped from midnight on June 17 to midnight on June 18. Additional Director General of Police (Law & Order) Sanjay Kumar has been camping in the town. Police conducted a flag march in Balasore, and about 30 persons have been arrested so far, the police said.
#WATCH | Odisha: Balasore district administration imposes Section 144 of CrPC following a clash between two groups on June 17. pic.twitter.com/1ihVmC7O6U
— ANI (@ANI) June 18, 2024
“All entry points to the OT Road closed,” police said, adding that “No person shall leave their homes or shall move on foot, or by vehicle or travel except for emergency medical aid.” Balasore SP Sagarika Nath said, “Curfew has been clamped in Balasore municipality area. All commercial establishments and shops to remain closed.”
“Adequate police arrangements in the sensitive areas have been made and the situation is getting under control though some sporadic violence was reported in some places yesterday,” said a senior police officer. The district administration has also suspended internet service in certain sensitive areas of the town and urged people to stay in their homes and not to step out.
Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi has urged for peace and directed the district collector to take necessary measures to control the situation. The clash started after a group of people sat on dharna in the Bhujakhia Pir area of the town on Monday protesting the blood of animal sacrifice on the road. The other group allegedly hurled stones at them, following which the clash broke out, police said.
“…Whereas, it has come to the notice of the State Government that on the occasion of Eid-Ul-Zuha, i.e., on 17.06.2024, there was communal tension between Hindus and Muslims in Balasore Municipality Areas. The situation is critical, and miscreants are circulating false and inflammatory messages through social media to disturb public order in Balasore Municipality Areas,” the state government said in a notification.
“…Whereas messaging platforms like WhatsApp, Facebook, and other such media have the potential to inflame communal tensions, thereby leading to acts causing disturbance of public order in Balasore Municipality Areas. Now, therefore, in order to prevent the spread of such inflammatory and motivated messages through the aforementioned media to disturb public order in Balasore Municipality Areas and restore peace and amity,” it added.
(With agency inputs)
Comments
0 comment