Curfew was relaxed for six hours in Odisha's Balasore town to allow people to buy essential items, an official said.

Curfew was clamped in this northern Odisha town on Monday night following a group clash in which 10 people were injured in stone pelting incidents.

Internet service also remains suspended in the town. The internet services will remain suspended till 10 am of June 22, an official notification said.

Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi has appealed to the people to maintain peace.

"Curfew was relaxed from 6 am to 12 noon. All shops and commercial establishments were allowed to remain open and to allow people to purchase essential items for their daily needs," the official said, adding that no incident took place for two consecutive nights on Wednesday and Thursday.

Though people were allowed in marketplaces, the administration kept a vigil on the possible public gatherings or large-scale movement of people during the curfew relaxation period.

The curfew will remain in force till midnight of June 21. While the administration relaxed the curfew for four hours on Thursday, it was further extended to six hours on Friday to enable people to purchase essential items, the official said.

Meanwhile, six companies of central forces have been deployed at sensitive pockets in the Balasore Municipality area, an official said.

Apart from central forces, around 40 platoons (1 platoon comprise 30 personnel) of state armed force have been deployed in the town, Balasore SP Sagarika Nath said.

As many as 54 people have been sent to judicial custody since Tuesday after being arrested either on the charge of rioting or violating the curfew norms.

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