Four Arrested for Allegedly Manhandling ACP Ananya Awasthi During Cuttack Diwali Firecracker Enforcement Drive
CUTTACK, November 10, 2026: Lalbag police have arrested four shopkeepers accused of manhandling Assistant Commissioner of Police Ananya Awasthi during a drive to enforce the city’s 9 pm deadline for bursting firecrackers on Diwali. The alleged assault took place in the Nayasadak locality on Sunday night.
The arrested men are Binay Agrawal, 32, and Mohit Nangalia, 22, both of Nayasadak; Krishna Soni, 20, of Upper Telenga Bazar; and Yash Choudhury, 23, of Kaligali. Police said all four are shopkeepers.
According to reports, a dispute began when police personnel told local shopkeepers to stop bursting firecrackers after the permitted time, in line with guidelines issued by the Odisha State Pollution Control Board. Some shopkeepers allegedly continued setting off crackers on the road despite the instructions. Awasthi, who was at the scene overseeing enforcement, intervened, after which a group allegedly manhandled her. The confrontation escalated into a scuffle and caused tension in the area. Videos of the incident circulated widely on social media.
Additional police personnel were sent to the area after the confrontation to prevent further escalation. On Monday, police reviewed CCTV footage and videos shared online, identified those involved and arrested the four men. Cuttack Deputy Commissioner of Police Khilari Rishikesh Dnyandeo said more arrests are expected as the investigation proceeds.
The permitted period for bursting firecrackers on Diwali was from 7 pm to 9 pm. Police said some residents continued the activity well beyond the deadline on a busy stretch of road, inconveniencing commuters. A case has been registered at Lalbag police station under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Odisha Urban Police Act. Investigators are working to identify any other people involved.
Awasthi is an Odisha-cadre IPS officer of the 2022 batch. Before returning to her current posting in the Cuttack Commissionerate, she served as the first woman Aide-de-Camp to the Governor of Odisha.
