Sundargarh Police intensified action after strong demands at a peace committee meeting and arrested six persons from two communities in connection with the violent group clash that shook Sundargarh town on Thursday.
At the same time, police launched a manhunt to nab other accused who remain absconding.
To begin with, Sundargarh Town Police raided several locations from Friday night onwards and arrested six persons. Afterwards, the police produced the accused before a local court. Meanwhile, police continued efforts to trace and arrest others involved in the violence.
The unrest began around 11 am on Thursday after a rumour spread that members of one community stored beef at a house. Consequently, youths from another community gathered near the Regent Market gate and staged a protest. Soon after, police rushed to the spot, pacified the protesters, and searched a few houses. However, officials clarified that they did not find any beef during the searches.
Despite repeated assurances from the police, protesters rejected the clarification. As a result, tension escalated, and violent clashes erupted between the two groups.
Officials reported that two police personnel and eight civilians sustained injuries in the clashes and received treatment at a hospital. Moreover, mobs vandalised several shops and set vehicles on fire during the violence.
To restore order, the administration imposed Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) in Sundargarh town. Consequently, authorities suspended internet services for 24 hours, closed shops and markets, and shut educational institutions in Sundargarh and nearby areas as a precautionary measure.
Finally, Western Range DIG Brijesh Kumar Rai, Sundargarh SP AmritPal Kaur, and District Collector Dr Subhankar Mohapatra, along with other senior officials, monitored the situation closely and coordinated measures to maintain peace.
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