Clashes Rock Odisha’s Malkangiri, Sparking Shutdown and Destruction

Malkangiri, Odisha – Tensions simmered into violence in this remote district after a woman’s decapitated body surfaced in the Poteru river, igniting clashes between two communities that left scores of homes in ruins and prompted a swift government crackdown on communications.

The grim discovery unfolded on Thursday, when locals spotted the mutilated remains in the river, a tributary snaking through the region’s rugged terrain. What began as a search for answers quickly escalated into widespread unrest, with reports from the district administration tallying damage to 163 houses amid the fray. As skirmishes flared, authorities mobilized a scientific team, a sniffer-dog unit, and the Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF) to scour the site for the missing head and gather forensic clues.

In a bid to stem the chaos, the Odisha government enacted stringent curbs late Sunday, suspending mobile internet, broadband services, and access to social media giants like WhatsApp, Facebook, and X. The 24-hour blackout, effective from 6 p.m. on December 8 until the same time the following day, was extended through noon on December 10. A Home Department notification, as cited by ANI, blamed “anti-social elements” for disseminating “false, provocative, and inflammatory messages” online, fueling the discord.

Security personnel fanned out across the affected zones, bolstering patrols to restore calm. By Monday, the air had cleared somewhat, with the district collector announcing that dialogue between the warring groups had yielded an accord. Representatives from both sides are slated to convene at a Peace Committee meeting later today, signaling a path toward reconciliation. “The situation is now peaceful,” the collector affirmed, projecting a swift return to normalcy.

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Amid the fallout, Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi extended financial solace to the bereaved family, greenlighting an ex gratia payment of ₹4 lakh. The victim’s son, bearing the brunt of the loss, received an additional ₹30,000. With the post-mortem complete, the woman’s last rites were conducted Monday, closing a painful chapter in the ordeal.