Jajpur: Tension ran high at Panasudha village under Balichandrapur police limits in Jajpur district as a group clash over claiming of a podium for Astaprahari rituals led to torching of a police vehicle on Saturday.
According to sources, a clash broke between two groups of people at Panasudha village over the claiming of a podium for 'Astaprahari' rituals. On being informed, a police team from Balichandrapur police station rushed to the village.
When the policemen reached the village and intervened to stop the clash, irate villagers set the police van on fire. Though later fire fighters reached the spot, the police vehicle was reduced to ashes in the flame.
As the situation went out of control, the sub-divisional police officer (SDPO) reached the village with one platoon of force to thwart any untoward incident.
While tension prevailed in the locality, the police have restricted entry of outside people into the village.
(Edited By Suryakant Jena)