Besides, forces from neighbouring Rayagada and Gajapati districts had been moved to Kandhamal ahead of Janmashtami.

But the protest rallies did not happen, police said.

'We did not interfere and the (first day of the) festival went on as they had planned. But there were no protest marches in the district. We had intensified patrolling and additional forces had been deployed at sensitive location,' Kandhamal Superintendent of Police Pravin Kumar told IANS.

State Director-General of Police Manmohan Praharaj also went to the district Wednesday to review the situation.

The Hindu outfits, however, blamed threats by Maoist rebels for the first day of Janmashtami festival being a low key affair.

'A large number of people would have come to join the celebrations. But many could not turn up as there was a threat from the Maoists,' VHP leader Sachidananda Saraswati said, citing a Maoist poster pasted at places.

Police official Pravin Kumar denied this. 'The posters are not pasted by the Maoists. This is the handiwork of some miscreants,' he said.