Kendrapara: The district administration decided to lift curfew at 6 am Friday. This followed a unanimous decision taken by the peace committee that met late Thursday night and assured the administration to restore peace in the district. A peace march will be taken from Tinimuhani to old bus stand at 9 am Friday. The peace committee was attended by RDC (central) Mahendra Mallick, commissioner cum secretary Hemant Sharma, IGP Soumendra Priyadashi, District Collector Dasarathi Satapathy, among others.
Earlier, the situation remained tense after two groups resorted to stone throwing and damaged a cabin before setting fire to a chicken centre at Garapur near Kali Mandir Chowk. Following this the administration clamped curfew again, said Sanjay Kumar Mishra, the sub collector-cum-sub divisional magistrate.
The bandh was called by the Rasthriya Surakhya Samiti with the support of the Sangh Parivar to protest the police refusal to act against the other group Wednesday who created lawlessness while the Samiti rally was marching to the Government High School Grounds for celebrating Netaji Jayanti and the birth anniversary of Bira Surendra Sai.
Although Section 144 was clamped Wednesday indefinitely in the municipality area, workers of two groups collected and created tension at several places in the town as well as on the outskirts. The police carried out a mild lathicharge to disperse mobs from a spot near the Kali Mandir, as they were hurling bricks, stones and bottles.
The curfew remained in force from 4 pm Thursday till 8.30 am Friday. SP Niti Sekhar said strong action would be taken against those who spread rumours on social media.
The SP said action would also be taken against those who violate curfew. The plying of vehicles and cycles would be restricted during the curfew. However, there will be no curbs on emergency services.
The police would check vehicles at important points, said Sub Divisional Magistrate-cum-Sub Collector Sanjay Kumar Mishra.
Life was derailed completely during the 12-hour bandh in Kendrapara district after workers of the Sangh Parivar and the Rashtriya Surakhya Samiti blocked roads by burning tyres. The NH-5(A) was also blocked by saffron activists.
Hundreds of trucks went off the NH and the plying of buses came to a halt in Kendrapara. Passengers faced a lot of problems.
Stray incidents of violence against street vendors belonging to the two groups were seen during the bandh at many places like Gopa Chowk.
As a precautionary measure the district administration had asked all Internet Service Providers to block Internet in the district. Schools and colleges were also closed Thursday.
Police deployment has been beefed up in the town. Around 14 platoons of the police, including three platoons of OSAF (Odisha Swift Action Force), were deployed in the town to prevent violence.
Police held a flag march Wednesday night in the township. Round the clock patrolling has been intensified in the town. The SP and Sub Collector are monitoring the situation, SP Niti Sekhar said.
The SP asked people to maintain peace and not to create tension by listening to rumours, said SDPO Rajib Lochan Panda.
The SP said the situation is under control and the district administration is trying its best to restore normalcy.
The administration will organise a peace committee meeting shortly. “We are keeping a close watch on the situation,” the SP said.
The IG of police( central Range),Soumendra Ptiyadarshi rushed to Kendrapara to take stock of the situation.
Whoever would create disturbance ,stern action would be initiated against them.To maintain law and order situation,armed police picketing were made at several sensitive places of township.A peace committee meeting was organised on Thursday evening at SP office.The IG of CR , soumendra priyadarshi, district collector ,Dasarathi Satapathy,sp of Kendrapara,NitiSekhar,sub collector,sanjay Mishra,were participated in the peace committee meeting.
The IG appealed to the denizens of Kendrapara ,who were peace loving ,to maintain peace n harmony in the district. “I hope normalcy would be restored after the peace committee meeting”,said IG of police,Priyadarshi.
Internet service has not been stopped ,except BSNL,keeping in mind the largest interest of lakhs of people.But strict action would be initiated against those who would create flare ups, added IG.
PNN