Balangir, Jan. 9: Even as Balangir authorities clamped prohibitory orders at the main site of the Sulia festival today to ensure that animal sacrifices did not occur, tribals vowed to continue with the practice on Tuesday at any cost.
Santanu Naik, convener of Sulia Sanskar Manch (SSM), which has been fighting against the tradition of animal sacrifice said: “We have intimated the district administration in advance to take necessary steps to stop the practice.”
The district administration has clamped section 144 of the CrPC at the main festival site. Balangir SP Ajaya Kumar Sarangi said: “Police are well prepared to maintain law and order during the festival.”
However, the tribals are adamant to carry out the practice. General secretary of Paschim Odisha Adivasi Kalyan Mahasangh Niranjan Bishi said: “This is the tradition of tribal people to sacrifice animals during the festival and we will see that it continues.”
“We are trying our best to see that not a single animal is sacrificed,” district collector Sailendra Narayan Dey said.
carry out the practice during festival scheduled on Tuesday. Meanwhile general secretary of Paschim Odisha Adivasi Kalyan Mahasangh Niranjan Bishi has announced that there would be animal sacrifice during the festival at any cost.