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A live Jatra performance in Bhubaneswar’s Saheed Nagar descended into chaos on Sunday night after a sudden power cut disrupted the show.
The incident occurred during a performance by Jatra Singha Bahini, which had attracted a massive crowd due to the presence of controversial Odia Jatra actor Piyush Tripathy.
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The blackout struck shortly after the first scene, leaving spectators frustrated. The disruption triggered unrest, with some in the audience reportedly attempting to hurl chairs toward the stage. Although power was restored within 10 minutes, the interruption had already led to commotion and discontent among the crowd.
Actor’s Brief Appearance Sparks Anger
According to reports, the crowd had gathered primarily to see Piyush Tripathy. The actor made a brief appearance, waved to the audience, and left shortly afterwards. This angered many in the crowd, who had expected a longer performance. The combination of Tripathy’s short presence and the sudden power failure further fuelled the chaos.
Organisers Clarify Situation
Speaking on the incident, one of the organisers said, “The power cut only lasted a few minutes. One of the phases blew out due to heavy load, but the supply was restored immediately. We also had a DG set ready, and by the time it was about to be used, the electricity had already returned.”
On Tripathy’s appearance, the organiser added, “We had already informed the audience that he was not part of the stage performance and would only be present for half an hour. In fact, he stayed for 45 minutes. Police deployment was already in place, anticipating a large crowd. No major incident occurred, though a few tried to instigate unrest. Everything was resolved quickly.”
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The Jatra company had also arranged a melody programme before the stage performance, and the show is scheduled to continue at the Shaheed Nagar venue until September 10.
