: Eleven persons were arrested on Monday in relation to the violent clash between two groups and arson at Ambagaon village under Jarada police station in Ganjam district of Odisha on Sunday.
Around 50 thatched houses had been gutted during the clash at Ambagaon near Odisha-Andhra border on March 22.
Fearing arrests, many men have left the village. It is suspected that most of them may have gone to Andhra Pradesh. Berhampur sub-collector Nikhil Pavan Kalyan reached the village on Monday evening to take stock of the situation.
Speaking to The Hindu , Mr Kalyan said the situation was under control. “Since some women in the village fear attacks if the men return at night, armed police have been deployed. Surveillance through plain clothed security personnel in and around the village is also being planned,” he added.
According to Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) of Chkiti B.K. Nayak, efforts are on to form a peace committee in the village to pacify the situation at Ambagaon.
The rival groups had hurled crude bombs and torched houses, police sources said. Five persons had been injured in the clash with property loss of over 50 lakh rupees. Most of the families who lost their houses were economically backward. The administration has started distributing dry food and other relief material to the affected families.
According to sources, long standing rivalry between the two groups in the village had led to the recent violent clash.
Quarrel over some trivial matter had led to bombing at the village on March 4.
