Bhuban: Tension ran high after six persons including an assistant police sub-inspector were critically hurt in a group clash during the Balada Yatra immersion ceremony here in Dhenkanal district Sunday.
The clash occurred following a bitter brawl between members of two organising committees as they pelted stones at each other leading to six persons getting injured.
The injured ASI was identified as Seshadeva Lenka while some of the other injured are Lipun Sahu, Seshakanta Barik, Ramakanta Sahu and Santosh Sahu. Two rooms of a woman Kuni Mallik at Dalit Sahi were reduced into ashes after miscreants set fire to it during the melee.
Tension was palpable in the area despite police intervening and trying to disperse the irate mobs.
A local Chandramani Prusty of Kali Bazaar sustained critical injuries in the lathi charge by the police personnel while another Jatindra Nayak of Nayak Sahi was injured after miscreants tried to slit his throat with a razor blade. Prusty has been admitted to a Cuttack hospital.
The incident occurred after the bullock of Dalit Sahi of Chinara pond area in serial no -1 took a long time to cover the route during a procession covering the major thoroughfares in the town. The organisers of Nayak Sahi, Hanuman Square in serial no-2 took offence to such delay and questioned the orgnisers of Dalit Sahi.
This led a brawl between the two groups as members of both the groups showered blows on each others. They relented after police intervened. However, the members of Dalit Sahi again had a fight with the members of Aara Sahi over the issue.
Police tried to restore peace but the mobs refused to listen following which the former had to lathi charge on them.
DSP Harekrushna Pradhan and tehsildar Shaktikanta Ray rushed to the spot and tried to restore peace among the warring groups. A section of police force has been deployed at Dalit Sahi to avoid any untoward incident.
Bhuban IIC Pramod Kumar Lenka said no complaint has been filed in the police station while efforts are being made to convene a meeting of the peace committee to resolve the stalemate.
