Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government on Wednesday extended the prohibition on use and access of social media platforms in Malkangiri district for another 24 hours up to 12 pm on December 11.
The restriction ordered by the Home department covers platforms such as WhatsApp, Facebook, X and other social media and any other form service through internet and other medium of data services.
This is the third consecutive extension of suspension of these services. Internet services were first blocked on December 8 for 24 hours, followed by an 18-hour extension on December 9. The ban, which was set to end at noon on Wednesday, has been extended by another day in view of the sensitive law-and-order situation in the district.
The curbs follow violent clashes between two communities after a woman’s beheaded body was recovered on December 4.
Sources said tension escalated further on Wednesday after police traced the severed head nearly 40 km from the spot where the body was found. The head was recovered near a riverbank close to a Kanya Ashram in Rakhelguda during a follow-up investigation.
Officials said a peace committee meeting held at the FLC Hall in the Malkangiri District Collector’s office on the evening of Tuesday had brought some respite, with representatives from MV-26 and Rekhalaguda agreeing to restore harmony.
However, the recovery of the severed head prompted the government to further extend the social media restrictions for 24 hours as a precautionary measure.
