On 26th February, a clash transpired between two communities on Maha Shivratri over tying a loudspeaker to an iron pillar in Pipratola located in Dumraon village of Ichak police station area in the Hazaribagh district of Jharkhand. Half a dozen people were injured in stone pelting. The miscreants set fire to 8 vehicles including a car, six bikes, a scooter and a bicycle. Police are conducting a search operation to nab the perpetrators. The situation is currently under control.
The loudspeaker might have triggered the violence but tension had been prevailing in the region for a long time. A loudspeaker was being tied to the iron post at New Sanatani Hindustan Chowk at about 8 am after which members of the Muslim community began to protest. Meanwhile, authorities were notified. Local police station in-charge Santosh Kumar reached the spot and talked to people from both the sides. It was agreed that the loudspeaker would be removed after Maha Shivratri.
People from the Muslim community began throwing stones from the roofs of their houses and the school grounds while the discussion was still in progress. People from the other side also did the same in retaliation which prompted the unrest. An automobile parked on the road was also toppled by the rioters who even pushed a bike into a well. At least six people were wounded due to the incident.
A few days ago, a saffron flag was hoisted after some people installed an iron pillar at the same site which resulted in a ruckus. They also protested and the matter reached the police station, however, it was not resolved. The conflict intensified on the sacred day of Maha Shivratri when Muslims objected to the loudspeakers. According to the police, prohibitory orders have been issued in accordance with section 163 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), which forbids carrying firearms, organizing processions and assembly of five or more individuals.
“In Ichak, there is a panchayat called Dumraon. There was a scuffle between two communities regarding the installation of loudspeakers and flags with respect to Maha Shivratri. There was an hour of scuffle and stone-pelting incident, but there was no major injury; nobody was hurt. Some vehicles and bikes were burnt. We are assessing that damage. We have CCTV footage of some areas over there. The police are investigating that,” informed Deputy Commissioner Hazaribagh Nancy Sahay.
“Security forces have been deployed since yesterday. Today, at 2 pm, there is a peace committee meeting. After that, we will assess the situation and decide how long we will depute the force and magistrates. As of now, we have not enforced any prohibitory order,” she added. Security personnel were stationed in the vicinity to uphold law and order after the incident.
The area had been experiencing tense atmosphere for approximately a year and a half. People from one community had constructed a minaret on the government school’s gate at the time. Cops were notified. Sub-Divisional Officer (SDO) and the Circle Officer (CO) along with the entire police and local administration settled the matter over a mutual agreement. Disputes between the two sides have since occurred on new year, Ramnavami and Holi there.
Ranchi MP and Minister of State for Defence Sanjay Seth responded to the occurrence and blamed Bangladeshi infiltrators. He called on Chief Minister Hemant Soren to take decisive action to expel them. He asked that why do these incidents only take place in Jharkhand during Hindu festivals like Holi, Saraswati Puja, Ramnavami, and Maha Shivratri? This is due to intruders from Bangladesh who are determined to disrupt law and order, communal harmony and the state’s demographics, he added.
He asserted that such incidents are very rare in Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-National Democratic Alliance (NDA) ruled states, be it Delhi, Assam, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra or Uttar Pradesh because such elements are identified and thrown out from there.
(With inputs from ANI)
