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Night curfew imposed at four places

Photo: Lingaraj Panda

In grip of tension: Streets of Baliguda on Friday wear a deserted look as curfew is still imposed for long periods —

BALIGUDA (KANDHAMAL DIST): Curfew was imposed at four places under Phiringia block in Kandhamal district on Friday as precautionary measure although no cases of fresh violence was reported from any part of the district.

Speaking to The Hindu over phone from Phulbani, southern division Revenue Divisional Commissioner Satyabrata Sahu said night curfew was imposed at Pabingia, Kelapara, Nuapadar and Gerupada villages as a precautionary measure to prevent clashes that had started in the area due to political rivalry. “It had nothing to do with communal or ethnic tension,” Mr Sahu said. With daytime relaxation in curfew still continued at Baliguda, Phulbani, Daringbadi and Brahmanigaon, where it was imposed on Dec 25 night. It also continued at Phiringia for the last three days.

Inhabitants of these places had faced curfew for the first time. Women are the worst sufferers of curfew as despite curfew relaxation time, they are forced to remain closeted at their houses. Bijayalaxmi Sahu saw the wrath of miscreants on the Mt. Carmel Convent in front of her house at Baliguda on Dec 24 evening.

According to her very few women of Baliguda, including her, have dared to come out on the streets after violent incidents. “So, we are more prone to panicky gossips,” she said. When curfew is relaxed male members rushed outside but they did not allow women and girls to venture out, said Mamata Mishra, a woman of Budaguda road of the town. Most of these women complained that they had not been able to visit Patakhanda temple at the heart of the town of the last eight days, which was a place of their daily worship.

“Life is too boring when you feel you are almost on house arrest at your own home,” said Soubhagini Das of Baudha street. Power cut for long duration has been hindering TV viewing. The greatest worry for these women was the management of meals and breakfasts at home with the limited supply of vegetables and other grocery items.

Markets do not have fresh vegetables and food materials but we have to meet the tastes of each family member, said P. Usharani, a housewife living near the ransacked church near Baliguda. Continuous presence of armed police force near her home had restricted her movements. At times these middle class women envied their poor counterparts from tribal and dalit community who were coming out during the time of relaxation of curfew out of needs. All of them wait for the day, when curfew would be totally lifted and they would feel secure enough to come out and enjoy fresh air outside their homes.

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