The district administration on Monday clamped prohibitory orders under Section 144 CrPC and deployed six platoons of police force in the Pubazar area of Baleswar town following a clash between two groups of a same community on Sunday night.
The violence erupted following a dispute between two sects of the community over burying of a dead body in a particular burial ground at Khwajabad in Ward 4.
One Hafiz Azam (64), a resident of Sunhat area belonging to the Wahabi sect, died on Sunday and people of his sect had taken the body to the burial ground. But burial of the body was opposed by the people of the Sunni sect. After altercations between the two groups, fist fighting and pelting of stones and bricks ensued between the two groups.At least 8 persons, including three policemen, received injuries during the clash.
However, due to a timely intervention of the police and district administration, a major incident was averted. On being informed, Town police station IIC UC Gadnaik, Remuna Tehsildar Manas Padhi, the DSP (Crime) Nagendra Nayak, besides the IICs of Remuna, Sahadevkhunta, Industrial and Khantapara police stations had rushed to the site and managed to bring the situation under control. The burying rituals were completed in the presence of police and the Wahabis were evacuated from the melee site.
While police registered two separate cases against the two sects, no arrests have been made as yet. “The situation is under control now. We are keeping a strict vigil on the situation,” said Town police station IIC Gadnaik.