Cuttack: People came out of houses, their steps quick but cautious, as the 36-hour curfew to stitch back together the Cuttack city’s frayed social fabric came to an end at 10 am on Tuesday.
According to sources, the wholesale market of Chhatra Bazar has opened and barricades, expect those at Dargha Bazar, have been removed with nearly 50 platoons of police still manning key areas to ensure full security and prevent any fresh disturbances. Internet shutdown in the city, however, will continue till evening amid concerns over the misuse of social media platforms such as WhatsApp, Facebook, and X for spreading provocative and inflammatory messages, which were attributed to fresh violence in the city on Sunday.
Bhubaneswar-Cuttack Commissioner of Police S Dev Datta Singh confirmed that no new notification has been issued regarding the extension of the curfew, which was imposed in the city after two incidents of violence left at least 31 injured, including 10 police personnel. “No untoward incident occurred after that. No law-breaking attempts were made. Police patrolling and static deployment will continue at sensitive places. It is peaceful now. We have received feedback that people are feeling safe, and normalcy has been restored. We will be closely monitoring the situation,” Singh said.
A total of nine persons have so far been arrested for their alleged involvement in violence, vandalism and attack on cops on Sunday evening, he added.
Incidentally, the city witnessed a shutdown after a gap of almost 34 years. The prohibitory order for 36 hours was imposed in 13 of the city’s 20 police limits.
Last night, revenue divisional commissioner (RDC) of central division Guha Poonam Tapas Kumar along with additional police commissioner Narasingha Bhola and Cuttack collector Dattatraya Bhausaheb Shinde also reviewed the situation on the ground. “All of us are looking forward to an early peaceful resolution of the matter. All people who have tried to take the law into their own hands will be booked. Society in general wants to be peaceful; everybody wants to celebrate a festival or any event together. I am sure that message is very loud and clear, and anybody who has tried to damage the social fabric will be taken to task,” she told ANI.
The thousand-year-old city celebrated for its communal harmony has been on the edge since Friday, which saw clashes between two groups due to disagreements over loud music during the Durga Puja idol immersion ceremony in Dargah Bazaar area. Fresh violence erupted on Sunday evening with an unauthorised bike rally by Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) in protest against the administration’s failure to ensure a peaceful immersion ceremony. The protestors allegedly pelted police with stones when barred from entering sensitive areas in the city. They also set fire at 8–10 locations near Gourishankar Park, damaged shops and CCTV cameras.
The police response involved batons, tear gas shells and rubber bullets to disperse mobs. Senior police officer Amarenda Panda and Cuttack DCP Khilari Rishikesh Dnyandeo were among those injured. While the DCP sustained an eye injury that required stitches, Panda was admitted to the ICU of the SCB Medical College and Hospital.
The curfew was imposed at 10 am on Sunday to prevent a further breakdown of law and order with police issuing a stern warning against anyone violating the order or attempting to disturb peace in the city. A dawn-to-dusk bandh called by the VHP also passed off peacefully under a massive security blanket on Monday.
However, amid appeals for peace across political spectrum, Cuttack MP Bhartruhari Mahtab caused a stir by claiming he had previously warned police about potential trouble during the Puja, “I had alerted the police about the release of habitual offenders from jail, who were likely to disrupt the festive season, but they ignored my warnings.”
Mayor Subhas Singh also pointed to the presence of anti-social elements actively trying to incite violence and disrupt the city’s peace. “Imposition of curfew was important for the city, but now it needs to be lifted as it is creating problems for all. We appeal to senior police officials to intensify security measures, including patrolling. There should be no compromise on it. But curfew should be relaxed. We are discussing with all stakeholders to ensure that normalcy returns to Cuttack,” he added.
