Bhadrak: District authorities in Odisha’s Bhadrak district on Sunday extended the suspension of Internet services for another 48 hours in the wake of a communal tension over a controversial social media post. At the same time, prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) will remain in force for an indefinite period.
Meanwhile, Bhadrak police have arrested 15 individuals, including the prime accused, from Dhamnagar and Old Bazar police station areas. While seven persons have been arrested from Dhamnagar police station area and eight were held from Old Bazar police station.
The authorities have deployed six platoons of police force to avoid any untoward incident.
IG (Eastern Range) Satyajit Nayak told the media that prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) will remain in force in the specific areas for an indefinite period and Internet services will remain suspended for another 48 hours.
Messaging platforms including WhatsApp, Facebook, X, and others that have the potential to flare communal tension have been suspended in order to prevent the spread of inflammatory and motivated messages and restore peace and amity.
Earlier in the day, Odisha Home department issued a notification saying that the Internet services would remain suspended in Bhadrak for 48 hours till 2.00 am on September 30 under the provisions of Section 5(2) of the Indian Telegraph Act, 1885.
Bhadrak District Collector, DIG (Eastern Range), SP, senior administrative officials conducted a flag march in Bhadrak town along with Rapid Action Force (RAF).
It is worth mentioning here that a clash erupted between two communities following an ‘objectionable’ post on Facebook.
