Bhubaneswar: A total of 122 incidents of communal disorder involving Hindu, Muslim and Christian communities were reported across Odisha in 2025, according to a White Paper tabled in the State Assembly on Wednesday.
The Home Department said the incidents included 106 cases involving Hindu-Muslim groups and 16 involving Hindu-Christian communities. In connection with these incidents, 165 criminal cases were registered.
The document further revealed that 1,095 riot cases were registered at police stations across the state during the year. Of these, charge sheets have been filed in 498 cases, while another 548 cases remain under investigation and are likely to be charge-sheeted.
Highlighting law enforcement response, the report noted that communal tension in Cuttack during last year’s Dussehra festival was effectively contained through coordinated intelligence inputs and timely police deployment.
Similarly, during the Rath Yatra in Puri, a stampede-like situation near the Gundicha Temple caused by heavy crowds was brought under control swiftly due to prompt intervention by the administration and police, the White Paper stated.
To strengthen communal harmony, the state government has constituted a state-level communal coordination committee, which periodically reviews the situation and takes necessary measures. Additionally, a detailed manual outlining guidelines for controlling communal violence and promoting harmony has been circulated among authorities responsible for maintaining law and order.
On the security front, the government also reported a significant improvement in the Left Wing Extremism (LWE) scenario in 2025.
“Minor Maoist activities” were recorded in nine police districts, including Kandhamal, Boudh, Kalahandi, Rayagada, Nuapada, Bolangir, Malkangiri and Koraput, indicating a decline in insurgency-related incidents.
