Rourkela: Prohibitory orders under Section 144 of CrPc were imposed and security was tightened as tension prevailed in this steel city Friday, a day after protests and road blockade by a group during Lord Jagannath’s Bahuda Yatra.
The group disrupted the festival protesting circulation of objectionable photos and remarks in social media. Police also detained a youth over the issue.
Demanding a thorough probe into the incident, the city unit of Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) called a 12-hour bandh Saturday over interruption of Bahuda Yatra. The dawn-to-dusk shut-down would be peaceful, said senior VHP leader Amulya Mishra. Essential services would be excluded from the strike, he added.
Prohibitory orders were clamped from Ambedkar Chak at Uditnagar to Madhusudan Marg and security personnel in strength were deployed as a precautionary measure, said SP, Rourkela, Anirudh Singh. Personnel of the Special Operation Group (SOG) were also kept on standby for any emergency situation, he said, adding 20 platoons of police and two platoons of CRPF jawans have been deployed.
Tension was palpable near Uditnagar, Daily Market, Mahatab Road and Madhusudan Marg areas, while shops and business establishments remained closed in areas where section 144 was clamped. Some schools and offices also remained closed, the police said.
Meanwhile, the district administration held an all community peace committee meeting, which was chaired by Sundargarh collector BS Punia.
Additional district magistrate (ADM), Rourkela, Manisha Banarjee, said the meeting was fruitful as all promised to maintain peace and harmony.
However, no members of VHP attended the meet, sources said. Others present at the meeting were Gyas Anjum, Bilal Ahammad, Nihar Roy, Badal Srichandan and members of political parties and social organisations.
“Rourkela is a city of harmony and brotherhood. People trying to disturb peace are being booked under the law,” the SP said. When asked about the proposed bandh call by VHP, the SP said he has no such information with him. Action would be taken against those who try to derail the peace process, Singh added.
Meanwhile, Bajrang Dal workers along with 40 lawyers blocked the main road near Birajapali court by burning tyres demanding the release of a youth who was detained by police on the charge of circulating objectionable material in social media. The blockade was lifted after police and CRPF personnel reached the spot. PNN
