7 months ago
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Cuttack metropolis remained tense connected Sunday (October 5, 2025), a time aft unit broke retired betwixt 2 groups during Durga Puja idol immersion, prompting the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) to telephone a 12-hour bandh successful the metropolis connected October 6.
Clashes broke retired betwixt 1.30 a.m. and 2 a.m. connected Saturday (October 4) adjacent Haathi Pokhari successful Daraghabazar country erstwhile an immersion procession was heading towards Debigara connected the banks of the Kathajodi river, constabulary said.
According to officials, the unit erupted aft immoderate locals objected to high-decibel euphony being played during the procession.
The arguments soon escalated into a confrontation erstwhile a mob started pelting stones and solid bottles from rooftops connected the processions, injuring respective revellers, including Cuttack DCP Khilari Rishikesh Dnyandeo.
To tackle the situation, constabulary resorted to a mild lathi complaint to disperse the assemblage and bring the concern nether control.
A fig of vehicles and roadside stalls were damaged during the clash.
Immersion activities were halted for astir 3 hours arsenic members of Puja committees staged a protestation demanding contiguous apprehension of those progressive successful the attack.
The process resumed nether dense information and each remaining idols were immersed by 9.30 a.m. connected Sunday (October 5).
According to police, six persons person been arrested truthful far, and efforts are underway to place others progressive utilizing CCTV footage, drone visuals, and eyewitness accounts.
The VHP alleged administrative nonaccomplishment and demanded the contiguous transportation of the DCP and the territory collector for their "inability to support instrumentality and order."
The organisation has called a dawn-to-dusk bandh successful protestation connected Monday (October 6).
"The authorities failed to guarantee peaceful immersion contempt repeated requests," a VHP spokesperson said.
The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) blamed "anti-social elements" for attempting to disrupt communal harmony, portion Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi assured strict enactment against those liable and directed officials to supply escaped aesculapian attraction to the injured.
Additional constabulary forces person been deployed crossed delicate areas successful Cuttack, with prohibitory orders imposed to forestall further escalation.
Senior constabulary officers are monitoring the concern closely.
