Team Herald
PORIEM: A day after tensions between two groups, calm prevailed in Poriem on Saturday, as devotees and villagers heaved a sigh of relief after district authorities withdrew the prohibitory orders and allowed the locals to hold the two-day religious ceremony at Shree Bhumika Temple, Poriem.
Sattari Deputy Collector Pallavi Mishra issued the order withdrawing Sections 148 and 163 of BNSS for the purpose of religious ceremonies on Saturday and Sunday.
The order further stated that the Bhumika temple will remain open until further orders. The Deputy Collector has directed all the communities in the jurisdiction to maintain peace and conduct all religious ceremonies in a lawful manner.
Tempers flared on Friday night, after a group of villagers blocked the Sankhali-Chorlaroad following tension between two groups of villagers over the temple rights to hold the religious ceremony. They also pelted stones at the police force in which a Police Sub Inspector (PSI) was injured.
Prohibitory orders were clamped after this, restricting the gathering of more than five persons and the temple was shut till December 24. A police complaint was also lodged by the deputy collector and sub-divisional magistrate against four persons along with other villagers for performing pooja at Sakhaleshwar Devasthan, thereby violating the order dated December 18.
Meanwhile a strong police force has been deployed in and around the Bhumika temple to avoid any untoward incident and to maintain peace.
It is learnt that there are as many as 12 groups of villagers claiming rights over the temple. However, 11 groups have arrived at a truce.
A group of villagers told media on Saturday that following successful discussions, the deputy collector assured them about lifting the prohibitory order.
“We will all participate in the temple ceremony, keeping aside our differences. We will involve everyone in the annual celebration,” claimed a group of villagers.
Later the women from the village gathered at the temple, praising their deity by chanting “Bhumika mata ki jai”.