Internet suspended in Odisha's Kendrapara district

Internet services were suspended in the district headquarter town of Kendrapara in Odisha on Thursday, a day after tension prevailed following a quarrel between two groups of youths, officials said.

The two groups were locked in a verbal duel on Wednesday afternoon over organisation of a function at the local government high-school playground.

Prohibitory orders under Section-144 of CrPC, which were clamped on Wednesday, remained in force across the township to thwart possible breach of peace in the area, said an official.

Meanwhile, normal life was affected in the district following the observance of a dawn-to-dusk shutdown by an outfit to protest alleged disrespect to freedom fighters.

"Net connectivity has been disabled in the urban areas. We took recourse to such precautionary steps to prevent a breach of peace in sensitive areas," Kendrapara District Collector Dasarathy Satpathy said.

Educational institutions were closed for the day as a precautionary measure while patrolling by security forces have been beefed up in and around the township, he said.

"The situation is peaceful in Kendrapara though normal life has been affected due to the 12-hour bandh call. No untoward incident has been reported from any part from the district so far," Satpathy said.