Odisha shuts down internet in Bhadrak ahead of Ram Navami
The town saw communal violence during this period last year.
A day ahead of Ram Navami, internet services were suspended in Odisha’s Bhadrak town, which saw communal violence during this period last year, for 48 hours.
“This was done to stop misuse of social media,” Bhadrak superintendent of police Anup Sahoo said on Saturday.
A comment on Hindu Gods in a Facebook post on the day of Ram Navami last year led to communal violence in Bhadrak and forced the government to impose curfew in the town, about 125km northeast of state capital Bhubaneswar, for nearly a month. Widespread arson and vandalism during the violence caused an estimated loss of Rs 9 crore.
The Bhadrak district administration has deployed more than 800 police personnel in the town.
Police are also keeping a close watch on the state’s steel city, Rourkela, where communal tension was reported during Ram Navami two years ago.
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