BHADRAK -- Rapid Action Force (RAF) and CRPF held a flag march even as curfew was relaxed for four hours on Sunday in Bhadrak town where violence had broken out over alleged abusive remarks against Hindu deities on social media.
As a precautionary step, the Home Department restricted access to social media in the town and nearby areas for 48 hours from Sunday night to prevent spread of rumours, a senior official said.
State Chief Secretary A P Padhi, who has directed the police's Crime Branch to look into rumours circulated through social media, said no rumour monger would be allowed to instigate people and escalate tension.
The cyber police cell is seeking information from people to track miscreants spreading hate messages on social media and strict action would be taken against them, Special Director General of Police (Crime) B K Sharma said.
Padhi said the situation in Bhadrak was under control and no untoward incident has been reported from the town since yesterday.
The RAF and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel staged the flag march through sensitive areas after they arrived in Bhadrak, a senior official said.
Three companies of RAF and two companies of CRPF have arrived to assist the police in maintaining law and order in the town, Bhadrak Superintendent of Police, Dilip Das said.
The curfew that was imposed on Friday was relaxed initially from 8 AM to 11 AM on Sunday and later extended till 12 noon to allow people to procure essential commodities, even as security forces kept a close vigil, he said. There will be a relaxation of curfew till 12 noon on Monday as well.
"People queued up at shops to purchase essential items following improvement in overall situation in the town," the police said, adding the curfew would continue for some more time after the brief relaxation.
State Home Secretary Asit Tripathy, who is camping in the town along with senior officials including Director General of Police, K B Singh, said peace is returning to the area.
Steps have also been taken to arrange essential commodities like milk, eggs and vegetables for people, while a control room has been opened to provide necessary assistance, he said, adding the focus was on preventing any flare up.
The Crime Branch, which launched an investigation into rumours circulated through social media, has registered a case in connection with the matter, senior officials said.
Additional forces, including armed police, were deployed as part of efforts to restore peace in the town, which witnessed violence on Thursday and Friday, the SP said, adding 36 platoons have been deployed in the area.
As many as 43 people have been arrested so far in connection with the violence, which left several shops gutted and vehicles damaged, the police said.
Meanwhile, Inspector-In-Charge (IIC) of Bhadrak Town police station, Jadunath Jena, was replaced by Manoj Rout.
As a precautionary measure, the administration has decided to keep the educational institutions in Bhadrak closed tomorrow, a senior official said.
Prohibitory orders under section 144 of CrPC remained in force in nearby Dhamnagar and Basudevpur as a precautionary measure to prevent spread of violence, a police officer said.
He said the decision to relax the curfew for four hours was taken after reviewing the situation that showed signs of improvement with no untoward incident being reported from any part of the town since Saturday.
Violence had erupted in Bhadrak town on Thursday after a group staged a demonstration near the Town police station demanding immediate arrest of those involved in posting offensive remarks against Hindu deities on social media.
Though the district administration clamped prohibitory orders, tension persisted and fresh violence erupted on Friday despite a peace meeting called by the administration to restore normalcy.
The escalation in tension prompted the administration to impose curfew on Friday, while security men had held a flag march in the town on Saturday to dispel fears.
10 Cooking Tips For Indian Bachelors By Saransh Goila
Embrace Thy Eggs(01 of10)
Open Image ModalBelieve it or not, cooking an egg is easier than making tea, says Chef Goila. Especially if you stick to simple recipes like sunny side up, bhurji (scrambled) and boiled eggs. Convert these eggs into full meals by stuffing them between two buns or doing open sandwiches with veggies and cheese. Eggs can even be microwaved: they take only a minute to 90 seconds in a mug or a deep cup to cook! (credit:Saransh Goila)
Fruits Make For The Ideal TV Snack(02 of10)
Open Image ModalBuy fruits whenever you see them, though in small quantities, says Chef Goila. They’re perfect for snacking: Goila usually chops them up, adds crushed nuts and potato chips and chaat masala to them with nimbu (lemon) as the ultimate sitcom/ cricket match snack! (credit:Saransh Goila)
Invest In A Blender/ Mixer(03 of10)
Open Image ModalIt’ll cost you under 3,000 rupees, and you can prepare exceptional smoothies and shakes in 5 minutes, says Chef Goila. The best part? You don’t even need to cut or chop much as the blender does the job, even if you just clean and roughly chop the veggies or fruits. Always keep milk and yoghurt handy in your fridge to blend your fruit/ veggies in with. (credit:Saransh Goila)
Make Your 2-Minute Noodles Healthier(04 of10)
Open Image ModalIt's not easy to give up insta-noodles when you're living alone. Make 'em healthy by adding lots of vegetables (match the quantity of veggies you're adding to the noodle) or meat to your noodles, says Chef Goila. You can add your meat/ veggies while your noodles cook or grill and boil these separately to add them later. Bonus tip: While the noodles cook, don't just stand there! Use those 5 extra minutes to blend a smoothie or a shake. (credit:Saransh Goila)
Reinvent Leftovers(05 of10)
Open Image ModalCold leftovers or yucky cafetaria food doesn't have to be a choice anymore. If you have leftovers, simply give them a makeover! Chef Goila gives the following tips: 1. Leftover butter chicken + toss with freshly boiled spaghetti = Lunch is ready. 2. Leftover chopped pizza + beat 4/5 eggs + chopped spinach and mushrooms + seasoning + dry herbs. Mix all in a bowl, add Cheese and bake 10 minutes at 180 C. 3. Make a noodles toastie from leftover noodles. Spread schezwan sauce on the bread, and you're good to go! 4. Toss leftover rice with curd to make curd rice. Or with veggies to make fried rice. Or with readymade soups for a bowl meal. Or with a tempering to make tawa or masala pulao. (credit:Saransh Goila)
#FreezeLikeABoss(06 of10)
Open Image ModalIf you can cook basic curries or gravies, cook just a little bit extra. Then cool the mix for a couple of hours, and finally freeze it into ice cube trays, recommends Chef Goila. This way, you can use the gravy whenever you need, and without thawing the entire amount. Frozen gravies can stay perfect for a month or longer depending on the weather and fridge condition. (credit:Saransh Goila)
Give The Knife A Miss(07 of10)
Open Image ModalBuy cleaned and chopped veggies or fruits from the grocery store or even your veggie seller. Yes this is a possibility now, and it saves you a crazy amount of time, says Chef Goila. It can definitely make cooking seem like less of a chore for the ones with prominent lazy bones. (credit:SkintDad.co.uk/Flickr)
Cater To Your Own Party!(08 of10)
Open Image ModalThrowing a party? Save on your budget by assembling a menu that is a mix of ordered and homemade food, says Chef Goila. For instance, order chicken tikka but use it as a stuffing in a taco which can be assembled at home. Buy a sponge or banana cake, chop it up and top it up with whipped cream and chocolate sauce and nuts. Make two-minute noodles with oodles of cheese and sriracha, stuff these noodles in buns to make a makeshift bunny chow. (credit:Saransh Goila)
Invest In The Basics(09 of10)
Open Image ModalInvest in a heavy-duty, nonstick pan, sharp knife and a WOODEN spoon (please don’t scratch the life out of it with a steel spoon). Chef Goila guarantees that most of your cooking will be in this pan whether it is eggs, chicken, or tossing pasta and vegetables. The better it is at handling heat and food, your chances of failure reduce. Also, a sharp knife means lesser chances of cutting a finger, he adds. (credit:BobPetUK/Flickr)
Use The Internet(10 of10)
Open Image Modal