After two rival groups clashed over worship of a deity at a temple at Malikud under the Kantamal police station in Boudh district, at least 34 persons, including five juveniles and two women, have been arrested on the charge of attacking the police in which seven persons were injured. Police teams from Kantamal and Manamunda had rushed to Malikud on Saturday as clash ensued between the groups.
The dispute turned violent when one Kshamanidhi Kanhar of Malikud first performed the ritual of Goddess Kunden Budhi Devi and was on his way to Andhari Pitha, another shrine, to perform ritual despite being warned by the rival group to refrain from it. As Kshamanidhi went ahead with his ritual, the villagers pelted stones and attacked policemen with sticks as members of both the groups suspected that police were trying to help the other faction.
Among five policemen, Inspectors-in-Charge of Kantamal and Manamunda police stations, Bijaya Oram and Bhabananda Prodhan, were injured and hospitalised. Cases have been registered against 60 villagers. Meanwhile, 29 persons have been forwarded to jail. Five juveniles, including a girl, have been sent to the Juvenile Board-cum-CJM at Boudh.Though the situation is now under control, armed police personnel have been deployed at the village. Many people have fled to nearby forests apprehending police action.