Bhubaneswar, Oct 6 (IANS) The Odisha government on Monday extended the suspension of internet services in Cuttack city until 7 PM on October 7, citing concerns over the possible misuse of social networking sites and instant messaging services by anti-social elements to spread rumours and disturb peace and tranquillity in the city.

According to an order issued by the Odisha Home Department, popular social media platforms such as WhatsApp, Facebook, X, Instagram, Snapchat, etc., as well as mobile internet/data services of all mobile service providers, internet/data services of all Internet Service Providers (ISPs), and broadband dial-up systems will remain suspended in the Cuttack Municipal Corporation (CMC) area, Cuttack Development Authority (CDA) area, and the 42 Mauza region from 7 PM on Monday to 7 PM on Tuesday.

The Home Department had earlier suspended the internet services in the Cuttack city areas for 24 hours from Sunday evening to Monday evening.

The Commissionerate Police has also imposed a 36-hour curfew in the 13 police station areas of the city on Sunday evening.

In the wake of fresh violence in Cuttack during a bike rally organised by the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) on Sunday evening (October 5) over the attack on a Durga Puja immersion procession on Friday night, the authorities have imposed a curfew in several sensitive areas of the city for the next 36 hours.

Speaking to IANS, Commissioner of Police S Dev Datta Singh earlier said, “Yesterday, stones were pelted at the police in Cuttack after they restricted a procession that had been organised without permission. The police were compelled to use force to disperse the protestors. Subsequently, a 36-hour curfew was imposed in Cuttack. The situation has remained normal so far under the curfew. Adequate numbers of Central Armed Police Force and Commissionerate Police personnel have been deployed, both in mobile and static modes, across different areas of the city to instil confidence among the public.”

Singh also informed that 60 platoons of police force, six companies of the Central Armed Police Force, Rapid Action Force have been deployed in various sensitive areas of the city to bring back normalcy.

Amid the communal violence, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, leader of the Opposition Naveen Patnaik, the local MLA, MP and other leaders appealed to people to maintain peace.

–IANS

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