RANCHI: Nineteen people have been arrested following a clash between the two communities during the Ram Navami procession over raising the religious flags and bursting firecrackers in Garhwa district of Jharkhand.
According to officials, a minor dispute quickly turned into a violent clash, with both sides pelting stones at each other. The police attempted to bring the crowd under control, but the situation spiralled out of hand.
Ultimately, the police resorted to using mild force to disperse the crowd.
According to police, residents had organised a procession on the occasion of Maha Ashtami.
Members of the Muslim community allegedly blocked the procession from proceeding further near the Kauakhoh Shiv Chabutra. Subsequently, the dispute between the two sides escalated, and stone-pelting ensued from both sides.
Observing the deteriorating situation, the police deployed at the spot resorted to mild force and fired tear gas shells. Several people, including police personnel, sustained injuries in the clash.
Based on CCTV footage, the police identified and arrested a total of 19 accused persons, including the leaders of the unruly mob, involved in the stone-pelting incident.
Those who have been arrested include 13 people from the Muslim community, along with 6 from the Hindu community.
Palamu DIG Kishore Kaushal and SP Aman Kumar reached the spot to take stock of the situation.
DIG Kaushal Kishore said that the procession was under police protection when it was targeted with stones. “The situation is currently under control. Strict action will be taken against those responsible,” he said, adding that the injured are receiving treatment at nearby hospitals.
Garhwa SP Aman Kumar also asserted that tensions between the two communities had surfaced a day earlier over the route and conduct of the procession, but an agreement was actually reached to proceed peacefully.
"However, attempts by a few individuals to halt the procession triggered the clash," he said. Meanwhile, additional police forces have been deployed in the area to maintain law and order.
The area has since been converted into a virtual police cantonment, with heavy deployment of forces to prevent any further escalation.