Internet services snapped in Odisha's Keonjhar district

Internet services have been snapped in the Keonjhar district of Odisha following a clash among two communities over the Ram Navami procession in the Joda township of the district, police said on Tuesday.

On Monday, a clash between two groups erupted in Joda town of mineral-rich Keonjhar district, following which, the district administration clamped Section 144 CrPC in the area to control the crowd.

The prohibitory order issued under Section 144 has been now extended for another 24 hours, till 10 a.m. on Wednesday, the police said.

According to sources, on the occasion of Ram Navami on Sunday, a group of people in Joda had sought permission from the local administration to carry out a religious flag (Jhanda) procession to a Hanuman temple in ward-4 of the township.

Initially, the administration had allowed five people to participate in the procession but later withdrew that permission. The agitated locals of that religious group demonstrated by staging a sit-in in front of the temple.

Later, on Monday, the group proceeded towards the temple with flags that were reportedly intercepted midway by some locals from another group, following which a clash erupted. The two groups also resorted to stone and glass bottle pelting, in which several people were injured, the sources said.