OD-MARKET-VANDALISE

Miscreants attack street vendors, 18 arrested
    Bhubaneswar, Jan 11 (PTI) A group of armed masked
miscreants attacked street vendors and ransacked several
kiosks and carts at Unit-II Market Building area here, police
said on Saturday.
    Eighteen persons, including 12 minors, have been
arrested for unleashing violence and vandalism in the market
complex on Friday evening, a senior police officer said.
    Miscreants armed with sticks, iron rods and sharp
weapons stormed the market and went on a rampage attacking
traders, vandalizing several carts, food stalls and kiosks
before fleeing.
    Over 30 persons were involved in the incident and 21
of them have so far been identified, while efforts are on to
identify the rest, Commissioner of Police Sudhansu Sarangi
said.
    As many as 18 miscreants, 12 of them minors, have so
far been apprehended from different areas in and around the
city and the rest are expected to be nabbed soon, he said
adding five bikes have also been seized in this connection.
    The number of arrest would go up soon as the police
examined the CCTV cameras installed in the market complex area
carried out raids at different places in the city, police said
adding further investigation is in progress.
    Stringent action will be taken against the attackers,
the police commissioner said, adding that they have been
booked for rioting, creating violence in public and disrupting
law and order.
    Though the exact reason behind the attack is yet to be
ascertained, the incident is suspected to occurred after two
customers were allegedly misbehaved by a shop-keeper earlier,
they said. PTI SKN
RG RG

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)