ROURKELA/DHENKANAL : A five-year-old girl sustained head injuries after being hit by a stone during a group clash that erupted allegedly over past enmity between residents of two slums after Holi celebrations within Sector 7 police limits of Rourkela on Wednesday evening.
Six others were also injured in the incident. Police arrested 10 people in this connection on Thursday. The incident occurred after Holi celebrations between 5 pm and 7 pm on Wednesday, between some miscreants of two slums, Anand Marg and its neighbouring Ekta Club. At least four cars and a motorcycle were also damaged in the incident.
Sources said members of the two groups engaged in the clash were allegedly pelting stones at one another when the minor girl, standing nearby, got hit by a stone, sustaining grievous head injuries. She is currently undergoing treatment at VIMSAR, Burla. Six others too, were injured in the incident, of whom three have been hospitalised.
On receiving information, two platoons of police rushed to the location to bring the situation under control. As per police, after Holi celebrations, several drunk miscreants from Ekta Club slum picked up a quarrel with their rivals of Anand Marg over some past enmity.
Eventually, the situation escalated into a fist fight and brick batting. When the minor girl of Anand Marg received head injuries in the incident, residents of the slum retaliated and the clash took an aggressive turn.
IIC of Sector 7 police station RN Patra said the five persons each from both the slums have been arrested in this connection.
In another incident in Dhenkanal, Holi celebrations turned bloody after a 56-year-old man was reportedly stabbed to death by his neighbour after an altercation over over-speeding, at Saranga village under Parjang police limits on Wednesday.
Police detained 32-year-old Prabin Bez in this connection. The deceased was identified as Biswanath Bez. His wife Sujata Bez and son Souvagya Bez were also attacked by Prabin and have been hospitalised.
As per police, they were in an inebriated condition after Holi celebrations. Parjang IIC Diren Behera said Biswanath was standing on the village road when Prabin passed by, driving his motorcycle at high speed. When Biswanath objected, an altercation ensued between the duo.