BHUBANESWAR: With the communal tension in Bhadrak still fresh in minds, the adjoining district headquarters town of Kendrapada on Wednesday came under a similar threat. The state government quickly deployed additional police force in the town and blocked internet services for 48 hours after people belonging to the minority community held demonstrations and submitted a memorandum to the collector demanding action against miscreants circulating offensive religious posts on social media."We have registered a case. Eight platoons of police force have been deployed in the town. The forces are guarding strategic locations to avoid any unpleasant situation," SP (Kendrapada) Dayanidhi Gochhait said after attending a high-level meeting attended by senior police and district officials.The SP described the situation of being under control. He said there is no need to clamp prohibitory orders. "We are however keeping a close watch on the situation," he said.Official sources here said the home department and police headquarters in Cuttack are in constant touch with the district authorities for updates on the situation. Trouble started after certain offensive remarks appeared in the social media.The district administration got an inkling of a possible communal tension when a group of people belonging to the minority community gathered at Fakirabad in the town and protested.District officials and police rushed to the spot and pacified them. A delegation met the collector, Muralidhar Mallik, and submitted a memorandum demanding action against the miscreants.They said the derogatory contents in the social media was nothing but an attempt to destroy peace and harmony in the area. "The situation is being closely monitored. We will not allow the mischief mongers to sabotage peace here," the collector said.

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