BHUBANESWAR: The festival of colours was celebrated with enthusiasm across Orissa on Monday even as a few untoward incidents affected the mood in some areas.

At least two persons were killed in different incidents, while more than 25 revellers were injured in and around the Capital city mainly due to accidents on the road.

Two policemen were badly injured and admitted to Malkangiri Government Hospital following a clash involving the police and the security personnel deployed in the area to tackle naxalism. Holi celebrations were affected in the town after the incident.

Bullet wound

According to sources, the incident occurred at 11 a.m. when Sub-Inspector of Kalimela police station R. Sabar's motorcycle hit a youth. Mr. Sabar picked up a quarrel with a CRPF constable who intervened in the matter.

Mr. Sabar got furious and fired at constable P.P. Baliram injuring him on his leg. A group of CRPF men then attacked the Sub-Inspector and beat him seriously.

In a road accident at Raghunathpur close to the Nandankanan Zoological Park, a teenaged boy was killed and eight others sustained serious injuries as the auto-rickshaw they were travelling in overturned.

The auto-rickshaw, which was carrying as many as nine persons, met with the accident as the driver applied sudden brake. The victims were mostly daily labourers from Kanthapur area of Puri. They were on their way to Nandankanan.

Titu Swain, 26, a resident of Laxmi Sagar locality in Bhubaneswar, was drowned in a pond while taking bath after celebrating Holi. He was said to be in an inebriated state.

The casualty ward of the Capital Hospital witnessed continuous flow of accident victims from different corners of the city throughout the day. A few doctors who were on duty had a tough time in providing medical care to the accident victims. Several injured persons had to wait for a long time to even get first aid.

A large number of police personnel had been deployed in busy areas of the city to maintain law and order during the celebrations.

Merry-making

The celebrations that were supposed to end by 1 p.m., however, continued till late in the afternoon as many decided to take bath only after the effect of last night's lunar eclipse subsided.

Hundreds of people, including politicians and bureaucrats, visited the residence of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik to play Holi with him and wish him luck on the occasion.

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