Six injured in Odisha communal clash

BHUBANESWAR: Two days after the mining town of Joda witnessed communal tension over a procession during Ramnavami, a village in Khurda district saw communal tension flare up after some members of minority community attacked a group of people carrying idol of a goddess on Wednesday afternoon resulting in injury to six persons, officials familiar with the matter said.

Official said a group of people of Dibyasinghprasad village of Khurda district carrying Goddess Mangala in a procession were attacked by 20-30 people from minority community on Wednesday afternoon. “The procession, a ritual of Jhamu Jatra festival ahead of Thursday’s Mahabishuba Sankranti, came under attack from the minority community who wanted it to be stopped. They chased people in the procession with arms resulting in injury to 6 persons,” said a police official.

During Jhamu Jatra, devotees walk on burning charcoal to complete their vow and collect sacred water from river or water bodies and pray to goddess.

Protesting the attack, the people in the procession staged dharna in front of the Khurda town police station and demanded action. Khurda sub divisional police officer Sushil Mishra said police are trying resolve the problem by holding peace meeting between two communities.

The communal tension comes in the wake of clashes between two communities in the mining town of Joda in Keonjhar district on Monday. On Monday clashes between two communities began in Joda town when 4-5 Bajarang Dal activists led by the Joda block president of Bajrang Dal were passing through Baneikela Market when some members of minority community allegedly obstructed them and tore their flag. As clashes broke out, 10-12 persons from both the sides were injured leading to promulgation of prohibitory order under section 144 CrPC. The Internet will remain suspended in the entire district till 10 am Thursday.