BHUBANESWAR: The commissionerate police on Sunday held a peace meeting with residents of Padmakesharipur where a violent clash had broken out between two groups of people on October 27, leaving several injured. Over 130 people, including 55 women, were arrested in connection with the clash. Most of them are still in judicial custody.
Deputy commissioner of police (DCP) Prateek Singh and his team held a peace talk at Padmakesharipur under Mancheswar police station limits. Residents and local leaders of Talasahi and Majhi Sahi (two clusters) of Padmakesharipur, who have been at loggerheads since the 2022 panchayat elections, attended the meeting.
“Our objective is to unite the two warring sides. The meeting yielded positive results. People of Talasahi and Majhisahi assured us that they will bury the hatchets and maintain peace,” the DCP said.
In the meeting, the DCP made people aware of the consequences of their conflict on elderly people and children of the locality. Singh said many children have been living in a state of trauma following the clash between people of the two clusters.
“I have come to know that children are so frightened that they cannot play and study. Some of them could not appear for their exams recently. Elderly and women too have borne the brunt,” Singh said.
Three cases were registered at Mancheswar police station on October 27 following the clash that broke out between two groups over past enmity. Cases had been registered in the past as well. On October 27, their rivalry took a violent turn. Men and women from both sides pelted stones and bottles at each other, leaving many injured.
