Bhubaneswar: A total of 122 incidents of disorder involving Hindus, Muslims and Christians were reported in various parts of Odisha during 2025, according to a White Paper tabled in the assembly Wednesday.
The home department said 106 Hindu-Muslim and 16 Hindu-Christian disorder incidents were reported during the period, against which 165 criminal cases were registered.
Besides, 1,095 riot cases were registered at various police stations of Odisha in 2025, the document showed.
The police filed a charge sheet in 498 riot cases, while it might file one against another 548 such cases that are under investigation.
“The communal tension which erupted in Cuttack city during the last Dussehra was successfully tackled by coordinated intelligence inputs and police deployment,” it said.
During last year’s Rath Yatra in Puri, due to huge crowds, “a stampede-like situation was created near the Gundicha temple, but the situation was brought under control due to the prompt action of the state government and the police”, according to the White Paper.
In order to maintain communal harmony in Odisha, the government has constituted a “state-level communal coordination committee”.
It reviews the situation from time to time and takes appropriate steps, the home department said in the report.
In addition, “a manual with detailed guidelines on controlling communal violence and promoting harmony has been issued to all authorities who are engaged to maintain law and order situation”, it said.
The state government also claimed that significant improvement was noticed in the overall Left Wing Extremism (LWE) situation during 2025.
“Minor Maoist activities” were noticed in nine police districts, including Kandhamal, Boudh, Kalahandi, Rayagada, Nuapada, Bolangir, Malkangiri and Koraput, it said.
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