Bhubaneswar: Tension flared in Jagatsinghpur town on Friday night after police strictly enforced a 10 pm deadline on DJ music during Durga Puja immersion processions. The enforcement of the restriction, aimed at maintaining law and order, triggered protests by local Puja Committees and devotees, leading to a temporary blockade of a major road.
According to reports, the standoff began when several immersion processions reached the Court Square area and police personnel ordered the immediate shutdown of sound systems, citing a government directive prohibiting loud music beyond 10 pm. The move was met with stiff opposition, as Puja organisers and devotees insisted on continuing the traditional musical accompaniment until the idols were fully immersed.
In response, members of multiple Puja Committees staged a sit-in at the intersection, demanding that music be allowed until the conclusion of the rituals. The protest soon escalated, with angry locals blocking the Machhagaon–Jagatsinghpur road. The blockade led to long traffic snarls, leaving vehicles stranded for hours and devotees accompanying the idols stuck in limbo.
Police officials engaged in multiple rounds of negotiations with the protestors. After sustained pressure from the crowd and concerns about further disruptions, police allowed the temporary resumption of music for a brief window, enabling the processions to resume towards their designated immersion sites.
Following this concession, the blockade was lifted and normalcy gradually returned.
