Curfew in Bhadrak, police vehicles ransacked

Bhadrak: Curfew has been imposed in Bhadrak after an angry mob protesting against some derogatory Facebook posts on Lord Rama and Sita burned down several shops in Bhadrak town on Friday. Worried about a communal clash, the state government appointed Gyanaranjan Das, who was commissioner, Cuttack Municipal Corporation, as Bhadrak collector and asked him to take charge immediately.

A group of people gathered in front of Bhadrak town police station and staged a road blockade by burning tyres at several places including bus stand and Charampa Square. Later, the agitators also torched some
police vehicles, forcing the district administration to impose curfew in the town.

Earlier in the day, a peace committee meeting convened by the district administration with the members of both the communities failed to yield results.

Home Secretary Asit Tripathy and Police DG KB Singh rushed to the troubled area to ease the tension.