Odisha extends internet shutdown in Cuttack amid communal tensions, officials review situation

The Odisha government extended the internet shutdown in Cuttack until October 7 due to recent communal violence that injured 31 people. 

Following the Odisha government's extension of internet shutdown in Cuttack till October 7 evening, after communal tensions erupted in the region over the weekend, the revenue divisional commissioner (RDC) of central division reviewed the situation.

At least 31 people, including 10 policemen, were injured in the violence.

RDC Guha Poonam Tapas Kumar was accompanied by additional police commissioner Narasingha Bhola and Cuttack district magistrate Dattatraya Bhausaheb Shinde.

“All of us are looking forward to an early peaceful resolution of the matter. All people who have tried to take the law into their own hands will be booked. Society in general wants to be peaceful; everybody wants to celebrate a festival or any event together. I am sure that message is very loud and clear, and anybody who has tried to damage the social fabric will be taken to task,” news agency ANI quoted Kumar as saying.

Bhubaneswar-Cuttack Police commissioner S Dev Datta Singh said after there was stone pelting on the police, a curfew was imposed in the city till 10am on Wednesday to ensure that a lapse in law and security does not occur.

“No untoward incident occurred after that. No law-breaking attempts were made. Police patrolling is being done everywhere today. Static deployment has been done at sensitive places. It is peaceful now. We have received feedback that people are feeling safe, and normalcy has been restored,” Singh added, affirming that eight people were identified and arrested and that further identification processes are underway.

Police added that emergency services in the city remain operational amid the imposed curfew.

What had happened in Cuttack?

Two incidents of violence were reported in Cuttack’s Daragha Bazar area between Friday and Sunday.

At least six people were injured during the initial clash that occurred on the intervening night between Friday and Saturday during the Durga idol immersion procession.

Unrest erupted in the early hours of Saturday near Haathi Pokhari in the Daraghabazar area as locals objected to loud music being played in immersion processions. What started as an argument soon escalated, leading to the hurling of stones and glass bottles. Alleging that the police failed to stop the attack on the processions, the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) called a 12-hour bandh on Monday.

On Sunday evening, Cuttack saw a second disturbance that followed the police stopping the VHP bike rally from passing through the sensitive area. The incident led to stone pelting at the police forces, leaving at least 25 injured, including eight policemen.

Senior police officer Amarenda Panda and Cuttack DCP Khilari Rishikesh Dnyandeo were reportedly among the 25 people injured in the attack. Panda was admitted to the ICU of the SCB Medical College and Hospital.

The state government on Sunday night imposed a prohibitory order for 36 hours in 13 of the city’s 20 police station areas and suspended internet till 7pm on Tuesday after about a dozen temporary shops were gutted and the police had used batons, tear gas shells and rubber bullets to disperse the mob on Sunday.

Bandh in Cuttack

The Vishwa Hindu Parishad on Monday called a dawn-to-dusk bandh in Cuttack, alleging police inaction on the miscreants who created violence during the Durga idol immersion procession on the intervening night of Friday and Saturday, news agency PTI reported.

The bandh passed off peacefully amid heavy security deployment. Markets and petrol pumps remained open, and public transport was available on the road, but less than usual due to the slew of restrictions imposed by the police.

“However, the bandh on Monday was completely incident free and peace prevailed across the city though roads, business establishments and activities came to a standstill. Apart from over 50 platoons state police force, eight companies of central armed force personnel including Rapid Action Force (RAF) stood guard across the city on the day,” said Commissioner of Police S Dev Datta Singh.

Heightened scrutiny in Cuttack

Police said people from outside Cuttack are prohibited from stepping into the city except for those working and patients travelling to the SCB Medical College and Hospital.

Regular checks are being conducted on each passenger bus which are stopped at entry points of the city.

Police added that they will review the situation and take a decision over the extension of the curfew accordingly. “If required, the order may be extended,” Singh said.