ROURKELA: In a violent clash on Saturday evening, around 30 youths went on a rampage along Rourkela Jail Road within RN Pali police limits, targeting a rival gang and creating panic among local residents. Three of the miscreants were arrested on Sunday.
After the miscreants left, hundreds of angry residents took to the street in protest alleging ineffectiveness of the police in containing anti-social elements. Sources said, a group of 30 anti-social youths from slums of Kesharinagar, ITI and STI areas created terror on the road between 6.30 pm and 7 pm on Saturday to settle scores with a rival group. In an organised attack, they also ransacked a club room at Kesharinagar, burnt assets of the club and destroyed several motor-bikes parked nearby.
Two members of the rival gang members sustained critical injuries in the attack.
The violence is believed to be in retaliation of a dispute that occurred during the immersion of a Ganesh idol on Friday near STI area.
During the dispute, the group from Kesharinagar and ITI area had allegedly attacked the other group near Kesharinagar and a police complaint was lodged in connection with the incident.
Jail Road resident and Basti Suraksha Samiti president Biren Senapati expressed concern over the deteriorating law and order situation, attributing the unrest to the lack of scheduled dates for idol immersions and the unchecked use of loud DJ music, which fuels group tensions.
Last year two rival slum groups had clashed on the main road near the Rourkela Government Hospital attacking and indiscriminately hurling stones on each other forcing the public to run for safety.
RN Pali police station IIC Rajendra Swain said three anti-social youths have been arrested and efforts are underway to ascertain identity of 15 to 20 others.