Sambalpur: Internet services in Sambalpur district have been suspended by the Odisha government for 48 hours after a clash that took place Wednesday during a rally to commemorate Hanuman Jayanti celebrations, a notification issued by Home Department of the state government informed Thursday.
According to the notification, the internet services will temporarily remain suspended for the next 48 hours beginning from 10 am of April 13 in the district to prevent further spread of inflammatory messages and hate speeches.
Social media platforms like WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat and other mediums will also remain suspended during the period.
Apart from mobile internet service of all service providers, broadband and dial-up services will also remain inaccessible over the next 48 hours, the notification stated.
The notification was issued following a clash in Sambalpur town in which nearly 10 cops including Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) of Sambalpur and the IIC of Dhanupali Police Station were injured Wednesday evening.
A flag march is expected to be held soon in all sensitive areas by the police as a show of strength and to deter possible violence in the city, officials said.
Sambalpur SP B Gangadhar said that 43 people have been detained and 26 people have so far booked under different sections of the IPC. They will be forwarded to the court.
The SP said 30 platoons of police force have been deployed in the area to stall any further attempts to create trouble.
According to a source, a rally was organised by Bajarang Dal, Hanuman Jayanti Samanway Samiti in Sambalpur town Wednesday. Amid the rally, some miscreants allegedly hurled stones at the two-wheelers that were part of the rally, which later turned into a clash between two groups.
In the violence, several vehicles parked on the roadside were torched and a shop was set on fire. The hooligans caused vandalism and ransacked the area with stones and sticks.
Afterwards, the Sambalpur administration imposed Section 144 in areas that come under the jurisdiction of Town Police Station, Dhanupali Police Station, Khetrajpur Police Station, Ainthapali Police Station, Bareipali Police Station & Sadar Police Station in Sambalpur.
Gangadhar said a meeting will soon be convened on whether to allow the Hanuman Jayanti celebration and procession scheduled to be held Friday.
Asked if the violence was part of a conspiracy, the SP said: “We think it is a sporadic incident. Investigation is going on. The situation is now under control.”
The SP said the police have however seized petrol bombs from some people.
It can be mentioned here that every year a bike rally and a ritual ‘Jhanda Sthapana’ are organised prior to Hanuman Jayanti in the city. Hanuman Jayanti is celebrated in Odisha on Maha Visuba Sankranti which falls Friday this year.
PNN
