Bhojpur village tense after clash over Facebook post, 200 shops set afire

Kumar Rajiv Nayan

Ara: Tension prevails in and around village Ranisagar under Shahpur Police Station in Bhojpur district after a clash between two communities following posting of an objectionable comment on Facebook on Thursday night. Though police arrested the person responsible for posting an objectionable comment on Thursday night itself, people of a community resorted to arson and set ablaze at least 200 shops and also opened fire in the air on Friday. They also had scuffle with police force whom they pelted with stones. The police had to resort to lathicharge to disperse the mob. In the melee, over two dozen persons including half a dozen police personnel were injured. Bhojpur DM Birendra Prasad Yadav, SP Kshatranil Singh and other senior officials of Bhojpur district along with heavy police force are camping in the area, which has been cordoned off.

Bhojpur SP Kshatranil Singh said that a youth had posted objectionable comment on the Facebook on Thursday that created a ripple between two communities at Ranisagar village and they clashed with each other. The police immediately arrested the person who had posted objectionable comment and police patrolling was intensified. The SP said people of one community started hurling abusive language since Friday morning, indulged in arson and set ablaze about 200 shops of people of another community. They also fired in the area and pelted cops with stones when the reached there to police went to control the situation. The SP said that situation is tense but well under control till the filing of the report.