Nayagarh: In an incident that took place Wednesday night, a villager died and ten others sustained grievous injuries in group clash between residents of Durgaprasad and Deulapali during Danda Jatra celebrations in Nayagarh.
The deceased youth has been identified as Nabin Parida who belonged to Deulapali village in the district.
“Following the scuffle, a youth of Deulapali village was found lying in a field near a pond. He was later declared dead at hospital,” Nayagarh Additional Superintendent of Police Umakanta Samal said.
According to a police official, the violent clash between residents of the two villages erupted when processions of their respective deities were taken out on the occasion of Danda Jatra. A heated altercation took place between the factions near Shiv temple at Sindhuria.
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“Danda Thakurs (the baton deities) were taken out on procession from Deulapali to Sinduria village. During the processions, a scuffle broke out between youths of the two villages over an issue. Following which, a group of youths from one village pelted stones at the other. As many as 10 persons from both sides were severely injured in the incident,” a villager from Durgaprasad expressed.
Moreover, IIC of Town police station Pragyan Paramita Jena and three police personnel were also injured while trying to bring the situation under control, the private source added.
On the other hand, it was alleged that the victim youth Nabin was later abducted during the group clash and beaten to death. The body has been sent for post-mortem.
Palpable tension has been prevailing in the two villages. A platoon of force was deployed to avert any further untoward incident.
The injured were rushed to the district headquarters hospital.
PNN