Curfew imposed, internet suspended in Odisha, India after clashes during Durga Puja

Cuttack: Indian authorities imposed a curfew and suspended internet services in Cuttack city of Odisha state, following violent clashes during Durga Puja celebrations, according to Indian media reports on Tuesday.

The unrest broke out between two groups during a procession, leading to stone-pelting and the hurling of glass bottles. Several people, including Cuttack’s Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Khilari Rishikesh Dnyandeo, were injured in the violence.

Shops were reportedly vandalized and set on fire during the chaos. Videos of the arson and clashes quickly went viral on social media, prompting further tensions. Police resorted to a baton charge to disperse the mobs, and several individuals have been arrested in connection with the incidents.

The city of Cuttack, traditionally known for its communal harmony, has seen a sudden spike in communal tensions. Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi criticized the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), blaming the party for stoking divisions for political gain.

“In the past, when the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) was in power, there were no such clashes,” Chaturvedi said in an interview with ANI. “With the BJP coming to power, the dynamics on the ground have changed. What has happened in Cuttack is a sad reflection of how the BJP, when in government, divides the people of the state for their own politics.”

She added that the people of Odisha should realize that they are being used as tools to incite communal tensions.

 

#WATCH | Delhi | On the Cuttack clash incident, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi says, “This is so unfortunate. A state like Odisha, which had very peaceful people living there, with no clashes when the BJD was in power, suddenly with the BJP coming to power, the dynamics… pic.twitter.com/d9iyCBwksL

— ANI (@ANI) October 6, 2025