KENDRAPADA, March 16: At least 15 people were injured, seven critically, and 20 thatched houses set on fire during a clash between two groups at Kaloragiri village in Jajpur district yesterday.
“The situation is under control. Two platoons of police have been deployed at Kaloragiri and nearby villages to prevent any untoward incident,” said IIC of Balichandrapur police station Pabitra Moharana.
Police said Tukuna Mallick attacked fellow villager Laxman Mallick over construction of a building for an anganwadi centre at the village. The incident sparked tension and two groups came to blows. They charged at each other with stones, sticks, iron rods and sharp weapons.
The injured persons were taken to a nearby hospital and later shifted to SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack, police said.
The fire gutted household items along with paddy bags. It took the fire fighters from Chandikhol nearly an hour to douse the flames.
The IIC said efforts are on to form a peace committee to restore normalcy in the village
