Bhubaneswar: At least five people were grievously injured in a clash between two groups over a social media live video in Bharatpur of Bhubaneswar, triggering tension in the area.
At least two rounds of blank firing were also reported during the confrontation that took place on Sunday night at Ghatikia under the jurisdiction of Bharatpur police station in the city during the festive season.
According to sources, a youth went live on Facebook the previous day and allegedly made caste-related remarks while speaking about a case. Angry over the content of the video which went viral, members of the one group reached Ghatikia where a large number of youths had gathered for the Ganesh idol immersion ceremony.
An argument between the two groups over the Facebook Live first broke out and then escalated into a violent clash and physical assault near the pandal. Some outsiders who arrived at the spot allegedly fired two rounds of blank shots and launched a murderous attack on several youths.
Five people sustained serious injuries and were admitted for treatment at a nearby private medical facility.
Police have launched an investigation, seized CCTV footage from the spot, and are conducting a manhunt to identify and arrest the accused.
