Banki: Prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) were imposed around Banki-Dampada block office premises in Odisha’s Kataka district on Tuesday following a political confrontation between two opposition camps.
The preventive measure follows an escalating row between supporters of local Biju Janata Dal (BJD) MLA Devi Ranjan Tripathy and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Lulu (Bulu) Chakraborty.
The conflict first flared up when BJP workers gathered at the administrative building to protest development project delays and the reported absence of the Block Development Officer (BDO). Tensions escalated significantly when MLA Tripathy arrived on site accompanied by his followers, leading to a heated face-to-face standoff between the two groups. Although police quickly stepped in to separate the factions and temporarily diffuse the situation, both political groups subsequently called for gherao of the block administration office in protest.
Following intelligence warnings that nearly 1,500 could gather at the complex, local authorities invoked Section 163 of the BNSS, imposing a strict ban on rallies, strikes, and unauthorized gatherings near government offices to prevent violence and preserve public order. One platoon of police force has been deployed. Senior police officers are also present on the spot and security has been provided to the BDO, Sub-Collector, and block employees.
Authorities confirmed that police permissions for political demonstrations in the block compound have been explicitly denied, and officers remain on high alert to prevent further flare-ups.