10 Cops Injured In Violence During Bike Rally In Odisha's Sambalpur

At least 10 police personnel were injured on Wednesday in violence during a motorbike rally organised in Odisha's Sambalpur ahead of the Hanuman Jayanti, prompting the administration to impose prohibitory order under Section 144 of CrPC in the city, an official said.

The festival is celebrated in Odisha on the Maha Vishuva Sankranti which falls on April 14 this year.

One makeshift shop and several two-wheelers were set on fire while a number of cars were damaged during the violence which began after stones were allegedly thrown on a motorbike rally participated by around 1000 people.

“Over 10 police personnel have been injured in the incident. An adequate force deployment has been made at sensitive places in the city,” Additional SP Tapan K Mohanty told reporters.

The injured included one woman cop.

Asked whether any person outside the police force was injured, Mohanty said an investigation is going on and nothing more can be revealed now.

Prohibitory order under Section 144 of CrPC was clamped in all six police station areas of Sambalpur city.

In a notification, Sub-divisional Magistrate & sub-collector, Sadar Sambalpur, Pravas Chandra Dandasebna, said that gathering of more than two people is not allowed.

According to preliminary reports, the violence erupted when stones were thrown at the motorbike rally as it was passing through Bhudapara and Sunapli under Dhanupalli police station area in the city.

However, the exact cause of the violence would be known after investigation, an official said.

The injured police personnel, including an additional superintendent of police and two inspectors, were taken to a hospital.

The rally, organised by Hanuman Jayanti Coordination Committee, was stopped by the administratio

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)