Skirmish over parking at Ambedkar fair leaves over 20 injured

A scuffle between two groups over parking a motorcycle at a fair organised to mark the birth anniversary of BR Ambedkar at Burhana village here left nearly two dozen people injured, police said today.
The incident happened last night on the concluding day of the annual three-day fair at the Dalit-dominated village when some Thakur youths from the neighbouring Sultanpur went there, SSP Vaibhav Krishna said.
He said an altercation broke out between the Thakurs and Dalits over parking a motorbike.
Soon the altercation escalated into a full-fledged fight during which shots were fired and stones hurled, the SSP said.

Nearly two dozen people from both sides were wounded, including those who received gunshot injuries.
The statue of Ambedkar was also partially damaged in the incident, he said.

He said seven to eight persons were released after first-aid at a government hospital in Khurda, adding 65-year-old Ine Mohar Singh, who was seriously injured, has been referred to Delhi.
Ten people from both sides have been taken into custody, the SSP said.
Heavy deployment of district police and PAC has been made in the village, he said.