Berhampur: Around a dozen people, including two police personnel, were injured after a clash broke out between two theatre groups during the staging of ‘Mahabharat’ in Odisha’s Ganjam district, police said Thursday.
The incident occurred late Wednesday night at Markandi within Golanthara police station limits when members of the two theatre troupes from Ramapalli and Gobindapur villages engaged in a violent altercation, police said.
According to police, the two groups had been hired by villagers to stage the play as part of the concluding day of Thakurani Yatra.
“An argument broke out between members of the theatre committees, which escalated into a clash. They started throwing bricks and stones at each other,” a police officer said.
The situation further escalated when police personnel, deployed for festival duty, intervened to control the situation. The groups allegedly targeted the police and attacked them with stones and crude bombs, officials said.
“They also allegedly used crude bombs with the intention to harm police personnel,” the officer said.
Police said 10 people have been arrested so far from both groups in connection with the incident.
Remnants of crude bombs, stones, bricks, bamboo and other materials used in the clash were seized from the spot, police said.
Berhampur SP Saravana Vivek M said the situation is now under control.
“Patrolling has been intensified and strict vigil is being maintained,” he said.