Cuttack streets have hardly been this strung up. The residents are confined to a 36-hour curfew and internet ban since Sunday, after bloody confrontations at a motorcycle rally supporting the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) demand to close the bandh in 12 hours. The riot shook the city, shops were shut down, cars were burnt, and the police were injured, not to forget that everyone was reminded of how fast the regular way of life can be derailed.
The violence was the extension of a previous conflict on Saturday, when the locals allegedly protested against the playing of some songs during immersion procession. Stone-pelting erupted and half-a-dozen individuals were arrested. In its turn, the VHP demanded a bandh on Monday, but the situation on Sunday became more tense as groups of men in search of support held a rally. Protesters were reported to hurl stones when police attempted to stop the procession entering sensitive areas, which led officers to fire at them with tear gas. The confrontations led to broken windows and burned vehicles as well as a number of the police beaten up and many residents were left fearful about their security.
Police Commissioner S. Dev Dutta Singh reported that the situation has now been under control yet the city is on high alert. We have already identified eight individuals who were a part of the violence and the investigation is still going on. Whoever tries to trouble the peace, I will take no mercy with him, he said. There are already three FIRs, and the citizens who were the victims of the unrest have registered numerous complaints. Singh made it clear that the government is adamant in ensuring that there is law and order as well as ensuring that the citizens are safe.
More than 60 platoons of police, including central armed forces have been deployed in the city to avert further incidences. The 13-police station area covered curfew has broken day-to-day life. Shopkeepers have been forced to shut down their businesses although nobody knows when the tranquility will be restored and residents traveling to hospitals such as SCB Medical College have experienced some challenge. Even the streets which are usually full are silent leaving a tense mood and reminding how easy peace is to lose.
To increase the tension, the government also blocked the internet with a 24-hour-long ban in order to stop the distribution of rumors and provocation. The government has also threatened to deal with those who spread misinformation sternly, and this is where the responsibility of communication comes in such very tense times.
The city has a Director-General of Police Yogesh Bahadur Khurania and other senior officers, keeping a close eye on the situation. To the residents, the curfew is a contradictory experience, they feel safe and have closed doors, but they also feel frustrated because of being unable to conduct their routines. There is a lot of hope that the city can again get back to normal where the streets are open, the markets are working, and people can freely move about without any form of fear.
The weekend reminds Cuttack as he gradually watches the curfew go by of how a situation can go haywire rather fast and how it can affect the lives of the common people. In the meantime, the hope is basic but deep the hope that the streets will be peaceful again, and communities will be able to live safe, even in the aftermath of the turmoil.
