BHUBANESWAR:In response to racial unrest that broke out at a Hanuman Jayanti rally, the Odisha government has blocked social media sites and shut down Internet access in the Sambalpur district for 48 hours starting at 10 a.m. on Thursday.

The incident happened on Wednesday night. "It has come to the state government's attention that on the occasion of Hanuman Jayanti Sobhayatra, motorcycle procession undertaken by Hanuman Jayanti Samanyoya Samiti members, Bajarang Dal workers, etc. on April 12 evening at around 6 p.m.," the Odisha Home Department's notification to this effect read.
"There were fights between Muslims and Hindus in Sambalpur town during the gathering. The situation is serious, and criminals are using social media to spread incendiary and misleading comments to upset the peace in the Sambalpur district, it claimed.

"Messaging apps like WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter, and other similar media, etc., have the ability to stoke racial tensions and cause acts that violate public order in Sambalpur district.

Therefore, the Home Department has suspended Internet/data services, social media platforms, broadband, and other forms of Internet transmission in order to stop the spread of such inflammatory and motivated messages that could disrupt the public order in Sambalpur district and to restore peace and amity.

Deoranan Kumar Singh, IAS, Additional Chief Secretary to Government, Home Department, hereby promulgates the Notification under Section 5(2) of the Indian Telegraph Act, 1885 read with Rule 2(1) of the Temporary Suspension of Telecom Services (Public Emergency/Public Safety) Rules, 2017 to forbid use and access of the aforementioned Internet and data services, including WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter, and other social media, for the upcoming 48 hours starting today.

The violence that broke out during the bike demonstration held in Sambalpur town on the occasion of Hanuman Jayanti on Wednesday night injured more than 20 people, including 10 police officers.

The Inspector in-charge (IIC) of Dhanupali police station and the Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) of Sambalpur both suffered significant injuries during the brawl. Anita Pradhan, the IIC, was transported right away to VIMSAR, Burla.

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