Post-poll violence: Tea stalls and betel shops in Odisha's Ganjam to close by 8.30 pm
BERHAMPUR; Amid a spurt in incidents of poll violence in Ganjam, the police on Tuesday ordered closure of all tea stalls, betel shops and hotels in the district by 8:30 pm every day till the declaration of election results on June 4.
Ganjam SP Jagmohan Meena said the decision was taken to keep a check on poll violence as people gather at these shops and discuss politics, which often leads to heated arguments and clashes among supporters of political parties.
“We have appealed to the owners of tea stalls, eateries, dhabas and hotels to close their outlets by 8.30 pm to curb post-poll violence. It is a precautionary step to prevent clashes between supporters of various political parties,” said the SP.
The IICs of all police stations in the district have been asked to ensure that these shops are closed by the scheduled time.
The move comes after the district reported sporadic incidents of poll violence after elections were held in two phases on May 13 and 20. Before the elections, a BJP worker was killed and seven others suffered injuries in Srikrushnasaranpur under Khallikote block.
Subsequently, frequent fights have been reported among supporters of different political parties over the winning prospects of their respective candidates. To prevent any flare up in violence, Ganjam police started a drive against criminals and arrested around 100 persons in the last five days.