Tension erupted in Odisha’s Khordha district following the brutal murder of a young man on Sunday. The victim, identified as Md Sajjid, was a resident of Mukundaprasad.
According to a complaint filed by Sajjid’s brother, 30 to 40 youths attacked Sajjid with sharp weapons near a nursery in Chachara Sahi around noon. Despite being rushed to a nearby hospital, doctors pronounced him dead on arrival.
In the wake of Sajjid’s death, his relatives and supporters staged a road blockade, placing his body on the road. The protest escalated as supporters vandalized vehicles and houses in Poda Sahi and Dadhibaman Sahi, both in Mukundaprasad. Reports indicate that attackers also harmed pet animals during their rampage.
Police and district administration officials arrived at the scene to control the situation. Khordha Collector Chanchal Rana confirmed that a case of death had been reported at the District Headquarters Hospital (DHH). He stated that an FIR would be registered based on the complaint from Sajjid’s relatives, and the police would investigate all aspects of the case.
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Rana urged the public to avoid spreading rumors and maintain peace. He assured that stringent action would be taken against those responsible for the violence. He also noted that the investigation would determine if the violence stemmed from community tensions or was an isolated incident.
Senior police officials, including Director General of Police Y.B. Khurania, visited the affected areas and appealed for calm. They emphasized that residents should not take the law into their own hands.
In response to the escalating violence, the district administration imposed Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, replacing Section 144 of the CrPC. This order, effective in wards 1, 2, 3, 21, and 22 of Mukundaprasad, bans gatherings of five or more people, public rallies, demonstrations, and carrying of lethal weapons. The aim is to prevent further unrest and restore order.
