Amidst reports of fresh violence, the Sambalpur district administration clamped curfew in several parts of the town under the jurisdiction of six police stations as a precautionary measure. The curfew restrictions will remain in force until further orders and a review of the situation by the senior administrative officials.
It is pertinent to mention here that Sambalpur witnessed a clash between two groups during a rally on Wednesday in the run-up to Hanuman Jayanti. Several vehicles were allegedly damaged and some shops were set on fire.
Also Read:Youth ‘hacked to death’ with sharp weapons in Sambalpur
Sambalpur Collector, Ananya Das on Saturday said that based on the feedback, the curfew restrictions were imposed so that efforts can be undertaken to restore normalcy. The restrictions would certainly help intensify patrolling in sensitive areas and other parts of Sambalpur.
“Nobody will be allowed to leave their houses during the curfew period. We have provided two windows—from 8 to 10 am and from 3:30 pm to 5:30 pm to complete essential work. All the commercial and educational institutions will remain closed. Only people will be allowed to buy groceries and other essential items during the relaxation period,” said Das.
Also Read: Sambalpur Hanuman Jayanti violence: Police book 32 persons, 25 more under scanner
The Sambalpur Collector informed that checking will be done during the relaxation period and appealed to people to use this window to buy only essential articles
“We have issued a helpline number to assist people in emergency medical situations. Our team has been deployed to extend help,” Das added.