Tension in some districts of Bihar, Internet service suspended in three

Law Kumar Mishra

Patna :  Internet services in Piro (Bhojpur), Bihariganj (Madhepura) and Gopalganj has been suspended by respective district magistrates to prevent rumour mongering following disturbances during immersion of idols of goddess Durga after Durga Puja and Tajia processions during Muharram. ,Additional forces were rushed to Piro,Sugauli, Kishanganj and Bakhtiarpur.

Two senior police officers in the rank of additional DG have been sent to Piro and Sugauli ( East Champaran). In Kishanganj, a sub-divisional magistrate(SDM)  was assaulted by a mob which was fired upon by the police in defence of the SDM. During a religious procession, anti-national slogans were reportedly raised by the participants. Agitated over the incident, rival group had blocked movement of vehicles on NH 33 linking town to Siliguri on Saturday.

According to police headquarters here, on October 14 evening a procession going for immersion of  idols in Gandak river was attacked by some miscreants at Thave Road and Jangaliya Mor in Gopalganj. Another procession was attacked at Harkhua bridge area. Stones were pelted and a group of processionists alleged miscreans fired on them. Violence which continued till late evening resulted in injuries to seven people including two police officers,both inspectors, who were admitted in hospital. Eight vehicles including four cars were set afire. The DM imposed prohibitory orders in the entire district putting ban on assembly of more than five people and suspended internet services also.All shops remained closed on Saturday morning too.

At Piro in Bhojpur district, violence continued for  the third consecutive day on Saturday. Prohibitory orders have been enforced by the DM and internet services banned to prevent rumour mongering. Train services between Ara and Sasaram have been suspended as trains were  also targetted by the mob. Two passenger buses and a truck were set ablaze in communal tension.

At Sugauili in East Champaran too, two groups of different communities clashed resulting in communal tension in the area. ADG of police rushed to Sugailu alongwith IG and DIG of police on Saturday.

At Bakhtiarpur in Patna district, patrolling was intensified following reports of communal tension and damage to some shops by rival communities. DM and senior SP rushed to the town and held meetings with members of the peace committees. Here too, anti-national slogans were raised during a religious procession from a place of worship.

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Bihariganj in Madhepura district, which had witnesses violent clashes between two communities, remains tense,but under control. During Durga puja, two groups had clashed in course of immersion of idols. When local MP Rajesh Ranjan alias Pappu Yadav and district magistrate tried to control the agitators, they too were heckled. The mob had set on fire a police vehicle of sub-divisional police officer. The DM Has put a ban on entry of elected representatives including MPs and MLAs in the disturbed areas. The Sub -divisional police officer was shifted and posted at SP office at Madhepura.

Tariq Anwar, MP and general secretary of NCP, addressing a press conference here alleged the BJP was behind all these incidents as assembly elections were approaching in neighbouring UP. He demanded of the state government to take stern action against the law breakers.

Leader of opposition in Bihar assembly Prem Kumar, on the other hand, alleged CM Nitish Kumar was biased against a particular community and had instructed officials to punish members of majority community only. Former deputy CM Sushil Kumar Modi alleged due to biased action of a section of officers during Tajia and Durga puja processions violence erupted at more than a dozen places. He questioned the role of some officers posted in the violence hit districts.