A clash broke out between two communities during a Saraswati Puja immersion procession in Belsu village of the Keredari block in Jharkhand’s Hazaribagh district on Saturday, 24th January, leaving several people injured and triggering heavy security deployment in the area.
According to the reports, tensions rose during the immersion procession, following which stone-pelting began by a Muslim mob targeting the idol of Goddess Saraswati. The situation eventually turned tense, after which the police forces were deployed at the site by the administration. The entire area now resembles a police camp to avoid any kind of violence and keep the situation under control. The injured are being taken care of at a nearby hospital.
The top officials of the district administration reached the incident location shortly after being informed of the violence. They are engaging with people from both communities and appealing for calm as efforts are underway to restore normalcy.
Seven people, including a child, were injured in the incident. Some policemen were also injured while trying to control the situation. Police had to use tear gas to calm the situation. Villagers from Beltu village were heading towards Rani Talab to immerse the Saraswati idol. DJ music was playing during the immersion procession, to which the Muslims objected.
Hazaribagh Superintendent of Police Anjani Anjan said that the police are closely monitoring the situation. He confirmed that a clash between two groups had taken place in Belsu and assured that strict action would be taken against those found responsible for the violence. He added that the administration is committed to ensuring peace in the area.
The incident occurred between the Belsu police picket and the local Market Tola. Preliminary inputs suggest the dispute may have started over the playing of DJ during the immersion procession, though officials said the exact cause remains under investigation.
At present, Barkagaon SDPO Pawan Kumar, along with four station in-charges, is stationed at the site. Hazaribagh Deputy Commissioner Shashi Prakash Singh and SP Anjani Anjan also moved towards the spot to personally assess the situation and oversee security arrangements.
