Bhubaneswar, Aug 7 (PTI) At least two persons were injured and several shops damaged in a clash between residents of two villages over a boundary dispute in Odisha’s Khurda district on Thursday, prompting authorities to impose Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) in the area.
According to police, residents of Ostapur and Kotapalla villages, under the jurisdiction of Baghamari police station, engaged in a heated debate on Wednesday over the installation of a village signboard.
After holding discussions with residents of both villages, the local administration decided to install two separate signboards for each village along the roadside, police said.
However, tensions escalated into violence on Thursday after a heated exchange of words between some villagers from both sides.
The situation led to stone-pelting incidents, resulting in damage to a few roadside shops and injuries to two persons, police said.
"The clash erupted over a dispute on putting up signboards. A few shops were vandalised in the clash. However, the situation is now under control. We have deployed police personnel in the area to maintain law and order," Khurda sub-collector Kishore Panda said.
"To ensure that the situation does not aggravate further, we have also imposed Section 163 of BNSS from Hanuman Vatika to Barikpokhari until further orders. All shops will remain closed," Panda told reporters.
He also informed that the local school will also remain closed for two days as it is located close to the area where the violence took place.
Two injured shops damaged in clash between residents of two villages in Odisha
(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)