As per reports, the clash ensued when a few youths allegedly pelted stones at the Ganesh idol during the procession ceremony carried out by a group from Khatkulabahal.
Demanding arrest of the culprits who pelted stones at the idol, locals of Khatkulabahal staged a road blockade and sat on a dharna.
On receiving information, Sundergarh SP, Kutra SDPO along with other police personnel rushed to the spot to pacify the agitating people following which the road blockade was withdrawn.
This apart, adequate police forces were deployed in the area to avoid any untoward incident.
According to reports, two groups in the village are now at loggerheads following a clash that occurred between them during Ganesh idol immersion yesterday.
As the village is situated near Chilika with no road connectivity, police are yet to reach the spot even after reports of crude bombs being hurled at several houses today, came in.
As many as 40 houses have been damaged in the bombing that is continuing in the area till last reports came in.
Five persons were injured of whom the condition of two persons is stated to be critical.
All the injured persons including two seriously injured persons identified as Muktikant Badu and Chandrakant Badu of Badasahi were hospitalised.
Talking to media persons, Tarini, a girl who sustained injury in the attack, said “Some people first attacked us. As my brother went out to register an FIR in the police station, another group of around 30 to 40 barged into the shop and started throwing bottles kept inside it. As they started damaging the glass fittings of the shop, I tried to pull down the shutters. The assailants then attacked my elder brother. As I tried to prevent them from doing so they started beating me up. Later on the attackers thrashed Chandra Bhai and knocked my mother down,” she added.
To ward off any untoward incident, police force has been deployed in the area.
Police in the meanwhile is examining the footage of CCTV installed nearby the area where the incident had taken place to identify the hooligans.
In Rourkela, there has been a minor improvement in the situation as prohibitory orders under Section 144 continue to remain in force. According to sources, section 144 has been kept in force between Bisra Chhak and Ambedkar Chhak. As many as 13 arrests have been made till now. 15 platoons of police force and CRPF are deployed in the city to prevent any untoward incident.
On the other hand, normalcy has returned to Soro. With the situation improving considerably, prohibitory orders have been relaxed between 7AM and 5PM. Shops and establishments opened today. Night curfew in the city was withdrawn yesterday.
“Everybody wants that normalcy returns to Soro as early as possible. Police has agreed to the proposal of the members of both the communities present at the meeting. We will wait till a decision is taken in this regard”, Additional Director General (ADG), Law and Order, Satyajit Mohanty told media persons after attending the peace committee meeting between the members of both the communities at Soro police station.
The ADG, however, made it clear that the present police arrangement and patrolling would continue in Soro till normalcy returns.
Talking about the prohibitory order clamped in Soro following the incident, he said the order would be lifted if police feels that there will be no untoward incident further.
Soro BJD MLA Parsuram Dhada, who was also present at the meeting, said the members of both the communities were unanimous in their opinion to restore normalcy and fraternity in the area. “Exemplary action would be taken those involved in the incident so that such unfortunate incident will not happen again,” he added.
Among others, DIG Ghanashyam Upadhyay, Balasore Collector and SP were present at the peace committee meeting.
Meanwhile, police has arrested two persons involved in the violence.
Notably, the incident had taken place while the immersion procession was passing through Pathan Mahalla in Soro market area on Fridaynight when an altercation took place between two communities which subsequently turned violent as they indulged in brick-batting in which seven people were injured.
The deceased has been identified as Bulu Hati of Adibasipara of the town. The injured, Rohit Bag, is currently undergoing treatment at Titlagarh Hospital.
As per reports, an altercation ensued between two groups during the immersion procession near Sashtri Chhak in the town and soon the situation turned worse as both the groups engaged in violent clash leading to death of Bulu.
Later, some locals and supporters of Bulu placed his body in front of the local police station and staged demonstration demanding a high-level probe into the incident and immediate arrest of the accused involved.
Meanwhile, police have detained a youth in connection with the incident.
A minor verbal exchange between some youths of Tikiripada village and members of Jyoti Youth Club of Gandhipada village turned brutal after the former allegedly passed lewd comments at the other group conducting the immersion procession. Soon it took an ugly turn when both sides attacked each other physically. They also pelted stones which left more than 15 people including women and children injured.
“Some youths from Tikiripada village passed lewd comments at us when we were going in a procession. When we protested, some of them attacked us physically and pelted stones at us,” alleged a native of Gandhipada, who sustained injuries during the group fight.
The injured have been admitted to a nearby hospital.
The Birmaharajpur police, meanwhile, has initiated an investigation into the matter. “A group clash erupted between locals of Gandhipada village and Tikiripada village during Ganesh idol immersion ceremony. We are probing the case and action will be taken against those found guilty,” said Birmaharajpur Police Station IIC, Prabha Dhan.
The incident took place on the intervening night of Thursday-Friday in Khatlapura on the banks of the Lower Lake when a group of people were taking the Ganesh idol for immersion, Deputy Inspector General (DIG), Bhopal, Irshad Wali told PTI.
Eleven bodies were fished out from the lake by the rescue team, the official said.
Unconfirmed reports said 13 people drowned in the incident.
Further details are awaited.