On May 4, violence broke out in the Sambalpur district of Odisha, India, following the death of a local resident who had been detained for breaking COVID-19 rules.
The district collector’s office was stormed by a mob, which also burned down many cars. The opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has been accused of encouraging the violence by the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD), but the BJP has denied any involvement and criticised the BJD’s handling of the COVID-19 issue in the state.
The two parties have been exchanging accusations and counter-accusations, with the BJP demanding a judicial inquiry into the violence and the BJD government announcing compensation for the family of the deceased and ordering a probe into the incident. With panchayat elections coming up soon, the political climate in Odisha is expected to become even more tense.
In the aftermath of the carnage, the residents of Sambalpur are forced to reconstruct their lives while the blame game between the two parties goes on. The incident has made it more apparent that the state’s COVID-19 issue needs to be better managed and that political parties should fight to uphold peace and order rather than engage in polarising politics. To keep the state’s peace and order, the government has asked the centre for help.