UMERKOTE: Palpable tension continues to prevail at Kopena village in Nabarangpur’s Umerkote block even as the district administration has managed to break the impasse between Hindus and Christians over relocation of the local church.
A day after a peace committee was formed in the village, two platoons of police force have been deployed in Kopena to avert any untoward incident arising out of the communal discord.
Sources said a week ago, members of Hindu community in the village planned to conduct a seven-day Yajna and cultural programme on the premises of Mati Devi temple in Kopena in February. However, as a church is located just 150 metre from the temple, the Hindus held a meeting on Monday and decided that no Yajna can be performed unless the church is removed.
The same evening, members of the Christian community were asked to shift the church from the site. However, the Christians informed the local police about the matter and alleged that several meetings were being organised by the Hindu community to shift the church.
On receiving information, IICs of Umerkote, Jharigaon, Raighar and Dabugaon along with four platoons of police force reached the village and held discussion with the two warring communities. However, no resolution could be reached.
On Tuesday, Nabarangpur sub-collector Prakash Chandra Mishra, additional SP Aditya Sen, SDPO Suvendu Sabar, additional tehsildar Nilambar Pujari, Zilla Parishad member Chandan Roy and Kopena sarpanch Parsuram Gond held a meeting in the gram panchayat office to diffuse the situation.
Around 30 people from the Hindu community and 10 from the Christian community attended the meeting. A peace committee was formed and the two warring groups agreed to maintain brotherhood in the village. The Christians reportedly sought 15 days to deliberate on the demand to shift the church from the site.
Sources said despite the formation of the peace committee, there is a possibility of tension flaring up in the village over the matter. An uneasy clam prevails in Kopena amid the presence of police including SIs Akshay Mishra and Birendra Bagh.
Additional SP Sen and sub-collector Mishra said the administration is keeping a close watch on the situation. Two platoons of police force will remain in Kopena until normalcy is restored in the village. Both the communities have agreed to maintain peace and brotherhood, they added.