[Watch] Who Is Afraid Of Omicron? Hundreds Of Ravenshaw Students Dance Away In Odisha’s Cuttack; Show-Cause Issued

Cuttack: The Cuttack Municipal Corporation (CMC) on Friday issued show-cause notice to Ravenshaw University after a video of hundreds of students breaking into revelry and dancing away, in violation of restrictions imposed in view of the spreading Omicron variant, went viral.

Hundreds of university students were seen dancing away in the video on Thursday night after the annual athletic meet concluded.

Earlier in the day, DCP (Cuttack) Prateek Singh said that police will take action.

Anjan Khuntia, athletic teacher at Ravenshaw University, said that he cannot comment on the episode. He told mediapersons, “You ask me about sports, I can reply. Those who made the video viral and the people in it can comment on the video. I was responsible for the athletic meet, the meet was declared closed, the flag was brought down and flame extinguished. I cannot comment on developments after that.”

With Christmas and New Year, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has appealed to people to follow COVID protocols amid rising Omicron cases in India.

On Friday, the government announced restrictions from December 25 to January 2. Earlier, it had announced restrictions on festivals, festivities, gatherings and functions from December 1 to January 1.

Odisha has reported four Omicron cases so far.

Chairing a high-level meeting on Thursday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi directed officials to remain alert and vigilant as the number of Omicron cases in India crossed 300.

The PM said that the fight against the pandemic was not over and that India should remain ‘satark’ (alert) and ‘saavdhaan’ (vigilant’).