NEW DELHI: Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Saturday ordered a high-level probe into the deadly violence that rocked Ranchi and left two young boys dead and at least 24 people injured after Friday’s protests over suspended BJP spokesperson’s remark about Prophet Muhammad. Meanwhile, protests continued in West Bengal, leading to Internet ban in Murshidabad. The UP police and civic administration arrested over 200 “protesters” and bulldozed houses of a few.
A two-member committee, comprising senior IAS officer Amitabh Kaushal and Additional Director General (ADG) of Police Sanjay Latkar, was formed in Jharkhand to investigate the violence, an official said. The committee has been asked to submit its report to the state government in a week, he added.
According to Ranchi’s Deputy Inspector General Anish Gupta, three FIRs were lodged and search operations were conducted to arrest the persons involved in the violence.
On Saturday, the UP police arrested a total of 227 people from various districts in connection with Friday’s violence, a senior police official has said. Of these people, 68 were arrested from Prayagraj and 50 from Hathras, Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) Prashant Kumar said. Among the rest, 48 people were nabbed in Saharanpur, 28 in Ambedkarnagar, 25 in Moradabad, and eight in Firozabad, he added.
The police in Saharanpur shared videos of municipal teams out with bulldozers under a heavy police presence, demolishing parts of homes of two of the accused arrested for disturbing the peace and social harmony. The bulldozers demolished in some house in Kanpur as well.
As Friday’s protests drew condemnation, several Muslim groups like All India Muhammadi Mission, an outfit of sufi scholars based in Lucknow, asked the Muslims to avoid any “confrontation” and register their “hurt feelings” very calmly. The outfit called for one day (Sunday) fast to be observed as a form peaceful protest.
In West Bengal, the violence took place in Howrah. Protesters clashed with the police and several houses were set on fire, a police officer said. Following this, the government suspended Internet services in parts of Murshidabad district till June 14.