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Jamshedpur violence: BJP leader among dozens arrested
East Singhbhum’s senior superintendent of police (SSP) Prabhat Kumar said police have registered an FIR and investigation is on.
The East Singhbhum district police in Jharkhand arrested around 70 people, including BJP leader Abhay Singh, on Monday, a day after two groups resorted to stone pelting and arson in Shastri Nagar area of Jamshedpur, police said.
East Singhbhum’s senior superintendent of police (SSP) Prabhat Kumar said police have registered an FIR and investigation is on.
“Till now, we have arrested 68 persons from both sides. It includes Abhay Singh, who was also wanted in another case. He is also a named accused in the violence case. He has been sent into judicial custody. The situation is under control. Further investigation is on,” said Kumar.
The arrest of Abhay Singh led to protest by BJP leaders at Bistupur police station where he was kept under detention.
Jamshedpur City SP K Vijay Shankar said Singh was arrested as his name figured during investigation.
Violence erupted in Jamshedpur late Sunday evening after one group clashed with another that was holding a meeting in a temple following alleged desecration of a religious flag near a temple on Saturday evening.
Besides stone pelting, both sides resorted to arson, burning down around a dozen makeshift shops, besides damaging two wheelers and cars.
The SSP, however, claimed that desecration of flag was a rumour, which was established in the investigation.
While prohibitory orders were still in place in the affected area under Kadma police station in Jamshedpur, mobile internet services, which were suspended around midnight on Sunday, were restored around 6.30 pm on Monday.
The Sunday incident was the second communal flare-up in the district in recent past.
On March 31, two groups had resorted to stone-pelting at Haldipokhar in the Potka block of the East Singhbhum district during a Ram Navami procession. A few people had sustained injuries in the incident.
The state had also witnessed communal clash in Sahebganj during Ram Navami procession in the Kihripara area of the town. Two communities clashed during idol immersion, damaging many vehicles and shops.
Earlier this year, Panki town in Palamu district witnessed stone pelting and violence two days before Shivratri festival over installation of a temporary gate near a mosque. The administration later cancelled the procession in the town to normalise the situation.
