Odisha's Kendrapara admin imposes 16 hours curfew after clash between two groups

A day after a faceoff between two groups here, the district administration of Kendrapara Thursday imposed curfew in the town following stray incidents of disturbances during the day. Though the administration had on Wednesday imposed prohibitory orders under section 144 of CrPC, fresh tension was created on Thursday morning between two groups.

Therefore, keeping the situation in view, the administration imposed curfew in the town for 16 hours, an official said. "We do not want to take any chance. The curfew has been clamped from 4 pm on Thursday till 8 am on Friday. The step is taken keeping in view the unlawful assembly of people in some areas. As there was the apprehension of disturbance from troublemakers, preventive measures were initiated to maintain peace," Kendrapara SP Niti Sekhar told reporters.

Further decision on curfew will be taken after reviewing the situation. People are being advised to stay indoors during the curfew-imposed hours, the SP said. Though the situation remained tense, it is under control as no major incident has taken place since last 12 hours, the SP said adding that the civil and police officials are keeping a close watch on the situation.

"Adequate forces have been deployed at sensitive pockets to thwart any possible breach of peace," he said. However, there are reports of stone pelting by groups at some places and police had to resort to mild lathi-charge to disperse the troublemakers and restore order, police said.

Earlier, the district administration had suspended internet services from Kendrapara district headquarters township areas a day after the alleged scuffle between groups. Meanwhile, normal life was affected in the district following a dawn-to-dusk shutdown called by an RSS-backed outfit to protest what they said the show of disrespect towards two great freedom fighters by a particular group.

The administration had earlier shut all educational institutions in the headquarters township for the day. The situation becomes tense on Wednesday over conduct of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose and Veer Surendra Sai birth anniversary at the local Kendrapara government high school ground here Wednesday.

Tension cropped up at the high school playground when a group was organising Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose and Veer Surendra Sais birth anniversary function at the high school playground. However, the other group protested it claiming that the playground could not be used for any purpose other than sporting events.