Cuttack: Six people, including Deputy Commissioner of Police Rishikesh Khillari, were injured after a clash broke out between two groups during a Durga Puja idol immersion procession in Odisha’s Cuttack in the early hours of Saturday, police said.
The incident happened near Hatipokhari in the Daraghabazar area around 2 am, when the procession was heading to Devi Gada on the banks of the Kathajodi river, they said.
Locals objected to high-decibel music being played in the procession, leading to a confrontation. It soon escalated with both groups hurling stones and glass bottles at each other, prompting the police to baton charge the crowd to bring the situation under control, they added.
Fresh tension flared when another procession reached the area. Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) were called in to tackle the situation, and the immersion processions resumed around 6 am amid heavy security, police said.
Vehicles with a total of 50 idols of various community Durga Pujas in the city remained stuck because of the incident for about four hours, they said.
Khilari was injured in the clashes, but his condition is stated to be stable, an official said.
One person with critical injuries was admitted to the SCB Medical College and Hospital, he said.
