Odisha's Cuttack violence: Curfew, internet ban extended as peace slowly returns, 8 arrested

Cuttack communal violence

A tense calm descended upon Cuttack on Tuesday as the Odisha administration maintained a tight security grip on the violence-hit city, extending an internet blackout and keeping a curfew in force while vowing to apprehend all those responsible for days of communal unrest.

The measures, which include a prohibition on large gatherings in 13 police station areas, were extended following a series of violent incidents that erupted during Durga Puja immersion processions, leaving at least 31 injured, including 10 police personnel.

According to PTI, the initial clash occurred in the Daragha Bazar area on the intervening night of Friday and Saturday, injuring six. The situation escalated dramatically on Sunday evening when police stopped a Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) bike rally from passing through the sensitive zone. This triggered fresh violence, including stone-throwing, which left 25 people wounded, eight of them policemen.

In response, the state government imposed a 36-hour prohibitory order and suspended internet services. The police response involved batons, tear gas shells and rubber bullets to disperse mobs.

A dawn-to-dusk bandh called by the VHP on Monday, alleging police inaction, passed off peacefully under a massive security blanket. “The bandh on Monday was completely incident free and peace prevailed across the city,” Bhubaneswar-Cuttack Police Commissioner S Dev Datta Singh told PTI.

The official confirmed to ANI that a curfew was imposed specifically to prevent a further breakdown of law and order. “No law-breaking attempts were made. Police patrolling is being done everywhere today… We have received feedback that people are feeling safe and normalcy has been restored,” the Police Commissioner stated.

The authorities are now focused on identifying and arresting the perpetrators. “Eight people have been arrested, a few more have been detained,” Additional Police Commissioner Narasingha Bhola told ANI. He emphasised that the process of examining CCTV, drone and camera footage is ongoing. “After proper examination, people are being arrested if there is evidence against them. This process will continue and we will definitely arrest all the people who are involved in this.”

Senior officer Amarenda Panda was reportedly among those injured and was admitted to the ICU of the SCB Medical College and Hospital.

The Revenue Divisional Commissioner (RDC) of Central Division, Guha Poonam Tapas Kumar, who reviewed the situation on Monday night, sent a strong message, as cited by ANI: “All people who have tried to take the law into their own hands will be booked… Anybody who has tried to damage the social fabric will be taken to task.”

The unrest has cast a pall over the historic city, with prominent locals expressing deep concern. For many residents, the current curfew revived memories of Cuttack’s last major shutdown. PTI quoted former MLA Pravat Tripathy as noting that this is the first curfew imposed in Cuttack since 1991, when violence over the Mandal Commission issue had paralysed the city. “The people of Cuttack experienced a curfew after a gap of 34 years,” he said.

For now, the city remains in a holding pattern. The curfew is officially in place until 10 am on Wednesday and the internet suspension has been extended for another 24 hours.

Additional Commissioner Bhola told ANI that the decision on whether to extend or relax these strict measures will depend entirely on public cooperation and the maintenance of peace through the night, as the authorities work to stitch back together the city’s frayed social fabric.