Internet Shutdown Extended In Odisha's Cuttack City By Another 24 Hours

Cuttack: Internet services in Odisha’s Cuttack city will remain suspended until 7 pm on October 7, a notification issued by the Home Department said on Monday.

“This decision was taken on the recommendation of the Cuttack district collector in response to recent disturbances in the city to control anti-social elements. The suspension applies to the Cuttack Municipal Corporation, CDA and 42 Mouza areas,” it added.

Earlier in the day, police issued an advisory asking people to verify the authenticity of any news before posting it on social media. “Refrain from sharing false or provocative content. Strict legal action will be taken against those found spreading misinformation or misleading content,” it said.

The Millennium City, where fresh violence on Sunday evening linked to the Friday’s idol immersion clashes prompted the government to suspend internet services and impose prohibitory orders under Section 163 BNSS across 13 police station areas, has remained tense but under control with heavy police deployment.

The suspension of internet services came as rumour mongers further fanned the flames with fake news about alleged death of a person during the Friday clashes, which police later rubbished through a fact check.

The thousand-year-old city celebrated for its communal harmony has been on the edge since Friday, which saw clashes between two groups due to disagreements over loud music during the Durga Puja idol immersion ceremony in Dargah Bazaar area. Fresh violence erupted on Sunday evening with a bike rally by Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), which had already called for a 12-hour bandh on Monday, in protest against the administration’s failure to ensure a peaceful immersion ceremony. The protestors allegedly pelted police with stones when barred from entering sensitive areas in the city, defying administrative orders. They also set fire at 8–10 locations near Gourishankar Park, damaged shops and CCTV cameras.

BJP MP Bhartruhari Mahtab alleged that the arson was carried out by some miscreants, who came from outside Cuttack. “Some miscreants created trouble during the Durga Puja idol procession, which resulted in retaliation by another community and it has created a very unpleasant situation in our city. The state government is taking utmost care to ensure that peace returns to the city, and some enlightened citizens have also appealed to both communities to exercise restraint. But the miscreants should be identified and dealt with full force,” he said.

He said imposition of curfew is a precautionary measure. “I would have been happy if the internet services were suspended on the very first day as misinformation lead to worsening of the situation,” he added.