Tension erupted in Kasaba village, located in the Thalakudi panchayat of Dasarathapur block in Odisha’s Jajpur district, after a traditional Pala cultural event turned chaotic on Monday night, leaving over 20 people injured.

Sources indicate that the clash occurred between rival factions from Bautra Sahi and Jia Sahi during the final night of a three-day Pala program at the Kasaba Pala Mandap. What began as a minor dispute escalated rapidly, with members of both groups throwing stones and glass bottles at one another while using sticks as weapons.

The unexpected violence abruptly halted the cultural performance, shocking attendees and disrupting a long-standing village tradition. Many of the injured suffered wounds from the stone-pelting and ensuing scuffles.

Upon receiving reports, Mangalpur police arrived at the scene and managed to restore order. The injured were initially taken to the Community Health Centre in Mangalpur, with those in critical condition later transferred to the Jajpur district headquarters hospital. Police forces have been deployed in the village to ensure law and order, and an investigation is underway to identify those responsible and ascertain the cause of the conflict.

Baina Mallick, a resident of Jia Sahi, claimed that tensions had been building for some time. Although the two Sahis typically organize the annual Pala together, members of Bautra Sahi reportedly did not participate this year, raising suspicions of planned disturbances. Mallick alleged that the attackers targeted children under the guise of “making fun” during the performance, which ignited the chaos. He asserted that the violence aimed to disrupt the harmony of the village.