Addl SP among 10 injured in Sambalpur clash; prohibitory orders issued: Police

Prohibitory orders were issued in areas under the jurisdiction of five police stations of Town, Dhanupali, Khetrajpur, Ainthapali, Bareipali and Sadar

BHUBANESWAR: More than 10 people including an additional superintendent of police (Addl SP) were injured on Wednesday in violence during a bike rally in Sambalpur town ahead of Friday’s Hanuman Jayanti celebrations, police said. The festival is celebrated in Odisha on the Maha Vishuva Sankranti which falls on April 14 this year.

Sambalpur 10 platoons of police personnel were deployed as a precautionary measure. (Twitter/Screengrab)

Prohibitory orders were issued in areas under the jurisdiction of five police stations of Town, Dhanupali, Khetrajpur, Ainthapali, Bareipali and Sadar and 10 platoons of police personnel were deployed as a precautionary measure.

The violence started when at least 600 people associated with Hanuman Jayanti Samanwaya Samiti comprising BJP, VHP and Bajrang Dal workers on 300 bikes were going from Govindtola Petrol bank to Durga Mandir Golbazar via minority-dominated areas of Motijharan, Bhutpada, Raza nagar, Sumapalli, Kumbharpada and Daleipada when they were allegedly attacked with stones.

“As soon as we neared Motijharan, some miscreants started pelting stones. The members of the Hanuman Jayanti Samiti also hurled stones at the miscreants. In the violence, at least 7-8 policemen including me were injured,” said additional SP Tapan Mohanty.

Dhanupalli police station inspector-in-charge Anita Pradhan was hit in her face.

In retaliation, some people set fire to shops, cars and bikes parked on the road.