Kendrapada, India - The district administration has locked a mosque at Derabishi after a clash. The administration clamped Section 144 in the area after the incident on Wednesday.
Police said men from Deobandi and Bareli sects clashed over appointment of a Moulavi. Each sect wanted their man to occupy the post.
A case has been filed a case against more than 25 villagers for "disrupting peace in the area", collector (Kendrapada) Sishirkanta Panda said. "We are trying to sort out the matter. We have spoken to representatives of both the groups. But the stalemate is continuing," added Panda.
The administration's action has displeased people of the community. The authorities have also deployed police force near the mosque to prevent further clashes between the sects. "The Bareli sect practices Sufism and worship Sufi saints, while the Debondi sect don't. Now both the groups are hell bent to perform Namaz in the mosque under a Moulavi belonging to their group," Mohammad Sazid, a villager of Derabishi, said.
Central IG (Police) Santosh Upadhaya later that day visited Derabishi to take stock of the situation.