The Puja committee boundary disputes between neighbouring localities once again came out in the open here on Thursday when two localities under the Madhupatna police station had a pitched battle necessitating police deployment in the area. The incident, first of its kind this year, is likely to play spoilsport in the Durga Puja revelry next month.
According to police, the trouble began when some youths of Durghapatna opposed the pandal preparation of the neighbouring Nuapada Puja Committee alleging that the latter has encroached upon a disputed area. With exchange of words, tempers ran high in both the camps, each attacking the other with bamboos, stones and glass bottles in which at least five persons from both the factions received minor injuries.
Police soon reached the spot and brought the situation under control asking both the factions to maintain status quo and assured that the boundary dispute between the neighbouring puja committees would be amicably settled after the Dusshera. “However, the erring youths who tried to take the law into their hands shall be taken to task,” warned city DCP Sanjeev Arora.
The age-old 'boundary disputes' among localities of the city is going to be a major headache for the administration in maintaining law and order during the remaining puja days. local puja committees collect hefty subscriptions from business establishments, residential colonies and families settled in their localities.