UMERKOTE: Tension gripped Umerkote town in Nabarangpur district after a 42-year-old man was stabbed multiple times in a violent clash between two non-student groups backed by the ruling BJP and BJD over students’ union elections on Saturday.
Victim Deep Kamal Mohapatra sustained stab wounds on different parts of his body including chest and abdomen and has been shifted to Visakhapatnam in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh in a critical condition.
Two youths, identified as Abdul (27) and Abhisek Panda (25), also suffered injuries while a motorcycle was torched during the violence. Police said three persons including Abdul have been detained for their alleged involvement in the clash.
According to reports, tension had been brewing between two groups since the commencement of the nomination filing process for the upcoming students’ union elections in Pendrani College at Umerkote. The situation escalated during the scrutiny of nomination papers after several non-students allegedly entered the college premises. Subsequently, a violent clash ensued between the two groups.
On being informed, police rushed to the spot and brought the situation under control. With multiple stab injuries, Deep was initially admitted to Umerkote hospital and later shifted to Visakhapatnam for advanced treatment. The other two injured received preliminary treatment.
As the news about the clash spread, widespread unrest gripped the area with BJP supporters blocking the Umerkote-Nabarangpur highway in protest. They also called for a bandh in Umerkote town demanding immediate arrest of the people involved in the clash. Responding to the shutdown call, all local businesses establishments downed their shutters.
As vehicular movement on the busy highway came to a standstill due to the blockade, the district administration deployed four platoons of police force to prevent further escalation and maintain law and order.
Sources said despite deployment of a heavy police force, normalcy was yet to be restored in Umerkote till reports last came in. Nabarangpur SP Kashyap Parth Jagdish, additional SP Aditya Sen, sub-collector Prakash chandra Mishra and other officials were present at the protest site to bring the situation under control.
The SP said three persons have been apprehended in connection with the clash. A manhunt has been launched to nab other two accused persons. All the persons involved in the violence will be arrested, he added.
