Odisha Congress Chief Urges Peace, Harmony in Cuttack After Clashes

Bhubaneswar, Oct 7: Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) president Bhakta Charan Das on Monday appealed for peace and communal harmony in Cuttack, following clashes during the immersion of Durga idols that left several people injured.

Condemning the incident, Das urged the government and administration to rise above political and sectarian lines and take stringent action against those involved. In a video message, he said Cuttack has long been a city that celebrates festivals in the spirit of brotherhood, transcending barriers of religion and caste.

“The incident of stone-pelting during the immersion procession has deeply hurt the city’s cultural heritage and tradition of communal harmony,” Das said. He emphasized that Cuttack, known for producing many freedom fighters and eminent personalities, must not witness such unfortunate incidents again.

Das appealed to all citizens to take collective responsibility to maintain peace and order. Calling for firm administrative action, he added, “Criminals do not belong to any caste or religion. The law must deal with all miscreants equally.”

Meanwhile, authorities have relaxed the 36-hour curfew imposed in 13 police station areas of Cuttack till 10 a.m. on Monday, following an improvement in the situation. No untoward incidents were reported in the past 24 hours, officials said.

However, internet services remain suspended in the city and surrounding areas till 7 p.m. today as a precautionary measure to curb the spread of rumours and misinformation.

Police have so far registered three cases in connection with the clashes and arrested eight persons. Several others have been identified from CCTV footage, and raids are ongoing to apprehend the remaining suspects.

Authorities continue to monitor the situation closely to ensure that normalcy and communal harmony are fully restored in the Silver City.