After the failure of the meeting of the peace committee of prominent citizens of the two communities in Bhadrak town over the posting of derogatory comments on Hindu gods and the subsequent violence on Friday, Home Secretary Asit Tripathy and Director General of Police (DGP) KB Singh rushed to the district headquarters town to take stock of the situation.
Meanwhile, incumbent Cuttack Municipal Corporation (CMC) Commissioner Gyan Ranjan Das was posted as the new Bhadrak district Collector by the Government and asked to immediately join duties.
Besides, the district administration imposed curfew after the situation turned uncontrollable after the peace talks failed. Demonstrations and road blockades were held at Medical Square and other places in the town. Some shops were also set on fire by violent mobs, said District Superintendent of Police Dilip Das.
The police became the target of irate protestors and a number of their vehicles were damaged. Section 144 of CrPC was also clamped in Dhamnagar in the district as a preventive measure.