Bhubaneswar: A simmering tension prevailed at Unit-1 Haat of Bhubaneswar during an eviction drive by the authorities of the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) today.
A team of BMC officials reportedly reached the Unit-1 Haat do conduct an eviction drive on an illegal encroachment from the government land.
However, the eviction drive was marred after a fight erupted between two groups of the hawkers. One of the groups demanded eviction on the other side when the BMC officials tried to evict them from the government land and settle them elsewhere. They also alleged that one of the individuals from the other group had set the fire which gutted over 40-50 of their shops on January 20, 2026.
Soon, they blocked the main road between AG Square and Rajmahal Chhak demanding arrest of the accused person who had set their shops on fire. They claimed that the accused was working against them as an agent of BMC with the aim to gain favours.
Soon, a team of cops from the Capital Police station rushed to the spot and pacified the angry protestors.