The law and order situation at Soro in Baleswarf district following Friday night’s group clash over immersion of Ganesh idol has not improved despite the presence of a large police force.
The situation again turned volatile after miscreants set ablaze seven roadside makeshift shops at different locations in the town late on Sunday night.
The shops were mainly of tyre puncture repairing.
Curfew was imposed from 6 pm on Monday to 6 am on Tuesday, said district Collector Pramod Das.
ADG of Police Satyajit Mohanty has been camping at Soro along with other senior police officials including the DIG and the SP. Besides, there was a peace committee meeting on Sunday involving people of both communities
Most of Inspectors of Police of the district have been mobilised to the town.
Prohibitory orders under Section 144 CrPC have been clamped in the town since Saturday morning and 17 platoons of police force have been deployed.
The police said that the Sunday night incidents of arson were the handiwork of mischief mongers. Neither a mob nor any group committed the arsons, they said.
The police informed that one more person who had been instigating violence has been arrested. It may be noted the police had arrested two persons on Sunday in the connection with the violence. The police informed that the other identified accused persons have been absconding.
The prohibitory orders were relaxed on Monday between 10 am and 2 pm and would be strictly enforced from 6 pm till 6 am.
In the district headquarters town of Baleswar too, a group clash had also been witnessed during Ganesh immersion.
The main cause for the violence is drinking of alcohol, which is easily available to the participants of processions, and the high-decibel DJ music sound. The residents allege that police have failed to contain these menaces, as a result of which such law and order situations have been cropping up.