CUTTACK: Tension flared up at Kalapathar and Dhalapathar markets in Banki following a group clash over idol immersion procession of Lord Ganesh on Wednesday afternoon.
While villagers of Khajuripada damaged a few shops belonging to Kalapathar village at Dhalapathar market, Kalapathara villagers retaliated by vandalising eight shops of Khajuripada village at Kalapathar market.
Police sources said a group of students of Kalapathar Dhalapathara Anchalika Mahavidyalaya along with some outsiders belonging to Khajuripada were taking an idol of Lord Ganesh in a procession for immersion in Kaligiri rivulet.
When the procession was passing through Kalapathar market, the outsiders, who were accompanying the procession, allegedly passed obscene remarks on Kalapathar locals. This led to a clash between villagers of Khajuripada and Kalapathar.
On being informed, Banki SDPO Amaresh Panigrahi rushed to the spot to take stock of the situation. One platoon of police force has been deployed at both Kalapathar and Dhalapathar markets to check any further untoward incidents.