A week after communal violence broke out in Bhadrak, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Wednesday visited the district headquarters town and also took stock of the situation at the district Collectorate in the presence of State and district-level officials.
On the day, Bhadrak ADM Prabhas Bhoi and Superintendent of Police Dilip Das were shunted out.
Talcher ADM Shymabkhata Das was posted as the new Bhadrak ADM and Jajpur SP Anup Sahu as the SP of Bhadrak.
The Chief Minister, who arrived here by a helicopter, was received by the MlAs of the district and senior administrative officials. He went to some of the most-affected areas like Chandan Bazaar and spoke to the riot victims.
Speaking to the media, he said that the riot-hit victims would be compensated for their losses. He also has asked the officials to prepare the estimates within three days. New vending zones would be opened and the street vendors affected would be allotted shops to carry out their businesses.
However, when asked about the BJP allegedly politicising the issue, he evaded the question, saying the first priority is to restore peace and communal amity.
Stringent action would be taken against the guilty involved in the violence, and the Government would take steps to prevent the designs of divisive forces, he said.
The curfew in the town was relaxed at 7 am on the day till 4 pm and re-imposed tillThursday 7 am. Bus services to various places resumed much to the relief of the stranded passengers.
Schools, business establishments, offices and banks remained open for the second day.
A team led by Pradesh Congress Committee president Prasad Harichandan also visited the town and spoke to riot victims. Former OPCC president Niranjan Patnaik, who was also in the town, said that the situation could have been avoided, but the district administration was overconfident. Harichandan and Patnaik appealed to the people to maintain peace and communal harmony.
The Crime Branch, which is investigating the case of rumours floating in the social media, identified five people of the town and grilled them.