Bhubaneswar: Tensions escalated late Tuesday night in Khordha district as fresh clashes broke out between residents of Ostapur and Kotapalla villages over a long-standing border dispute.

As of Wednesday morning, heavy stone-pelting and vandalism were reported from both sides, leaving several people injured and causing extensive damage to property. Several shops and roadside stalls were set on fire during the violence.

The fresh outbreak comes just weeks after Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), which had been in place for nearly three months to prevent hostilities, was lifted. The prohibitory order had been imposed earlier to curb repeated disputes over village boundaries.

According to reports, the violence was triggered by a minor altercation regarding the na

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