TWO BJP LEADERS ARRESTED FOR CLASHES IN BIHAR
Police take 57 people in custody for their ‘involvement’ in the violence that rocked the state earlier this week
PATNA: Two BJP leaders were arrested on Thursday in Bihar’s Samastipur district on the charge of disturbing communal harmony that resulted in clashes during the Ram Navami procession, police said. Dinesh Jha and Mohan Patwa were arrested on the basis of a video footage of the incident in Rosera town of Samastipur. Samastipur superintendent of police Dipak Ranjan said the two were arrested along with 10 others. He said they were questioned on the clashes.
PATNA: Two Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders were among the 57 people held on Thursday in connection with communal clashes in Bihar’s Samastipur, Munger and Nalanda districts earlier this week.
BJP leaders Dinesh Jha, 48, and Mohan Patwa, 38, were taken into custody on the charge of disturbing communal harmony in Samastipur, police said.
More than 60 people, including policemen, were injured and dozens of shops and vehicles were torched in the clashes that had taken place during Ram Navami processions on Monday in district’s Rosera. Three FIRS were lodged in connection with the clashes.
Samastipur SP Dipak Ranjan said Jha and Patwa were detained on the basis of a video of the incident and they were questioned about the clashes. Jha is a member of BJP’S state-level farmers’ cell while Patwa is the district president of the party’s commercial cell.
Workers and supporters of the BJP, which is part of the ruling alliance along with JD(U) in the state, held a protest against the two leaders’ detention, saying the police action was “one-sided”. The protestors gheraoed Rosera police station, demanding release of the detainees without delay.
BJP state spokesperson Rajiv Ranjan said that if a party worker or leader would be given the same punishment as an ordinary person if he were found to be in the wrong.
Additional security personnel, including two battalions of the Rapid Action Force (RAF), have been deployed in sensitive areas of Rosera, with senior police officials keeping an eye on the situation. Internet services have also been suspended to check spread of rumours.
In Munger town, where two communities clashed on Wednesday during an immersion procession of Chaiti Durga, people clashed with the local administration on Thursday. Police had to resort to lathicharge and use tear gas shells to disperse the mob. The rampaging mob also pelted stones and lobbed country some made bombs on the road. Altogether 11 persons were taken into custody. They were later forwarded to jail.
SDO Kundan Kumar said that at around 9 am, people assembled near gumti number 2 falling under Kotwali police station limits and demanded the release of the five people arrested on Wednesday. They blocked the main road besides the railway crossing and disrupted vehicular traffic for nearly an hour.
In Nalanda, Silao remained tense following a clash between two communities a day earlier. Some shops opened in the afternoon in Silao on Thursday but hardly any business took place.
Nalanda district has a tradition of Ramnavami processions being taken out in different parts on separate dates even after the festival. The procession was scheduled for Wednesday in Silao. But a particular community objected to the procession being taken out through a certain route, leading to the clash and heavy stone-pelting.
COPS SAY BJP LEADERS TAKEN INTO CUSTODY ON CHARGE OF DISTURBING COMMUNAL HARMONY IN SAMASTIPUR DISTRICT
shops opened late in the afternoon in Silao on Thursday but hardly any business activity was noticeable. Senior police officials appealed to the people to maintain calm and ignore rumour mongering by anti-social elements.
According to Biharsharif SP Sudhir Kumar Porika, at least 34 persons were arrested and sent to jail. He said the miscreants had hurled stones at security personnel, causing injuries to an SSB jawan, a bodyguard of a DSP and two constables. A number of vehicles were also damaged.
Patna range DIG Rajesh Kumar and Nalanda DM Thyagarajan were camping in the area. Internet services have been suspended till March 30 apprehending law and order problem.
Bihar has been witnessing communal violence since March 17 when there were clashes between members of two communities at Na th nag arin Bhagalpur district.
Thereafter, more clashes were reported from other districts in the state around Ramnavami festival when processions were taken out in various districts. So far 10 districts — Bhagalpur, Siwan, Aurangabad, Gaya, Munger, Kaimur, Samastipur, Nalanda, Jamui, Sheikhpura — have been hit by communal violence in the state.