Normalcy limping back in troubled Odisha town after curfew relaxation

Bhubaneswar, April 11 (IANS) With normalcy limping back to the troubled Bhadrak district headquarters town in Odisha, the district administration on Tuesday relaxed curfew for nine hours.

Educational institutions and other establishments opened for the day even though attendance was markedly thin as fear continued to grip the general public following communal tension in the town in the wake of derogatory remarks about Hindu gods posted on social media.

Initially, the administration relaxed the prohibitory orders from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Later, the district administration extended the relaxation by two more hours up to 4 p.m., said district Collector Gyan Ranjan Das.

"Normalcy is gradually returning to the town. We are taking every possible step to restore normalcy," said Revenue Divisional Commissioner (Central) A.B. Ota.

He said the administration has decided to keep chemist shops open till the night after being provided adequate police protection.

A decision on the restoration of social media, which has been blocked in the town, will be taken after peace returns completely, said Ota.

He said the loss suffered by the poor people due to the prohibitory order will be assessed and steps taken accordingly to compensate them.