Authorities have imposed a 36-hour curfew in several police station limits of Cuttack in Odisha from Sunday (October 5, 2025) evening to prevent escalation of communal tension, after a Durga Puja procession and a Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) rally turned violent. The incidents of violence left 25 police personnel injured. Meanwhile, the VHP called for a 12-hour Bandh on Monday (October 6).
“Some individuals had a personal quarrel during an immersion procession on Friday (October 3) evening. Subsequently, four miscreants were arrested and produced before the court on Saturday (October 5),” said Police Commissioner S. Dev Datta Singh after reviewing the situation on Sunday (October 5) evening.
He said that a bike rally organised by the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) in Cuttack on Sunday (October 5) had not been granted permission by the Commissionerate of Police due to apprehensions over law and order.
“When the police tried to stop the rally, tension erupted. The rally was headed towards some sensitive areas where communal tension could have flared up. As the police took a firm stand and prevented the rally from proceeding further, the participants started pelting stones at the police. Twenty-five personnel were injured, eight of them seriously,” Mr. Singh said.
The police resorted to lathi charge and fired rubber bullets to disperse the miscreants. “The situation has been brought under control,” he added.
Essential services exempted
The Commissioner of Police announced that the curfew would remain in force in different police station limits for 36 hours from 10 p.m. on Sunday (October 5). Essential services such as healthcare, milk and vegetable supply, and movement of students and office-goers have been exempted from the restrictions.
Director General of Police (DGP) Y. B. Khurania warned that strict action would be taken against anyone attempting to disrupt peace. “All stringent provisions available under law will be invoked against those taking the law into their own hands,” he said.
Earlier, the Odisha government announced a 24-hour Internet shutdown in Cuttack in the wake of the violence. The VHP has given a dawn-to-dusk bandh call on Monday.
CM appeals for calm
Chief Minister Mohan Majhi appealed to people to maintain peace and harmony so that Cuttack’s unique hallmark of brotherhood could be preserved.
The trouble began on Friday (October 3) during a Durga idol immersion procession. The procession came under attack, with unscrupulous elements hurling bottles and rocks at people. Police personnel, including the Deputy Commissioner of Police, sustained injuries.
After day’s calm on Saturday (October 4), fresh tension erupted at another place, with the police resorting to using force to chase away rioters on Sunday (October 5).
Expressing concerns over the recent incidents of group clashes reported in Cuttack, the Odisha CM appealed to all citizens to maintain peace and harmony.
“Cuttack is a thousand-year-old city — a unique symbol of brotherhood and communal harmony. However, in recent days, peace in the city has been disrupted due to the actions of some miscreants, causing inconvenience to the lives of ordinary citizens. The government is keeping a close watch on such mischief-mongers, and strict action will be taken against them as per law,” Mr. Majhi said in a statement.
In a notification, the State Home department said after recent tensions between members of two groups causing violent incidents in Cuttack city areas, the district administration had expressed concern over misuse of Internet to spread communal violence by circulating false, provocative and inflammatory messages via social media platforms, thereby threatening to disrupt public order and peace.
Internet suspended
“Messaging platforms like WhatsApp, Facebook, X and other such media have the potential for the anti-social elements to circulate false, provocative and inflammatory messages, thereby leading to disturbance of public order and peace in the Cuttack City,” it said.
Now therefore, in order to prevent the spread of such inflammatory and motivated messages to circulate in the above-mentioned media to disturb the public order in Cuttack City and restore peace and amity, use and access of social media platforms have been prohibited, the Home Department said. It said Internet and other medium of data services will remain suspended for the period from 7 p.m. of Sunday to 7 p.m. of Monday in Cuttack City.
Meanwhile, VHP is getting ready to enforce bandh demanding action against culprits. The VHP said incidents of riots were repeatedly occurring at particular one place while police remained a mute spectator.
It demanded high level inquiry into attack on Hindus at Kadamrasul area and immediate door-to-door search in that area.
Published – October 05, 2025 08:49 pm IST
