Sambalpur violence: Internet to remain shut for another day
Internet services in the strife-torn western Odisha town of Sambalpur will be suspended for another 24 hours, until 10 a.m. on Tuesday, Collector Ananya Das announced on Monday.
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Sambalpur: Internet services in the strife-torn western Odisha town of Sambalpur will be suspended for another 24 hours, until 10 a.m. on Tuesday, Collector Ananya Das announced on Monday.
The district's internet services have been shut down since April 13, a day after communal violence erupted in the town during a Hanuman Jayanti procession, to prevent the spread of inflammatory messages and the misuse of social media.
With the town limping back to normalcy and no reports of any untoward incidents since Friday, curfew hours have been relaxed from 7.30 a.m. to 11.30 a.m. and 3.30 p.m. to 6 p.m. to allow people more time to leave their homes for their daily activities.
Previously, the relaxation period was from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. and from 3.30 p.m. to 5.30 p.m.
On Sunday, the Combined Defence Services (CDS) examination and the preliminary examination for assistant sector officers in the Orissa High Court were also held peacefully in the town.
Meanwhile, police arrested six more people on the basis of CCTV footage for their alleged involvement in the Sambalpur violence, bringing the total to 85. 79 people were arrested as of Sunday, 26 for stone pelting during a motorcycle rally on April 12 and 53 for violence and arson during the Hanuman Jayanti procession on April 14.
B Gangadhar, the SP of Sambalpur, had previously stated that the violence appeared to be pre-planned.
After reviewing the situation, DGP Sunil K Bansal told the media, "We are optimistic that the curfew will be lifted in two to three days."
While stone-throwing at a bike rally injured ten people, including two police inspectors, Sambalpur police also failed to control subsequent violence during the Hanuman Jayanti procession despite prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the CrPc.
