Curfew relaxed in Odisha town for Ram Navami

Bhubaneswar, March 25 (IANS) The Odisha government on Sunday relaxed curfew after over a week in Bhadrak town and nearby areas for Ram Navami celebrations.

The restrictions were relaxed from 12 p.m. to 10 p.m. to bring out a Ram Navami procession.

The curfew was imposed last week as a precautionary measure to avoid violence in view of communal tension last year during the Ram Navami celebrations, said a police official.

As many as 50 police contingents have been deployed to ensure the smooth conduct of the festival.

"We have deployed adequate security measures to avoid any kind of violence. Besides, internet services have been suspended for 48 hours (from Saturday evening)," said Bhadrak Superintendent of Police Anup Sahu.

Communal tension erupted in Bhadrak last April following derogatory remarks against Hindu Gods being posted on social media.