In the aftermath of violent clashes that occurred on Sunday in Jamshedpur, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) has alleged that a masked mob came out of an Iftar party to target a temple. The Iftar party has been claimed to be organized by Chief Minister Hemant Soren’s party Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM).
Section 144 has been imposed in Jamshedpur, Jharkhand, following the violence and mobile internet services have been temporarily suspended.
Reportedly, a violent mob targeted a temple and engaged in acts of arson and stone pelting against two nearby shops. Additionally, an autorickshaw was set ablaze. The police have detained several individuals, and a significant police presence has been deployed to the area. Some Hindu organizations have accused the administration of taking one-sided action.
According to media reports, the incident is from Shastri Nagar in Jamshedpur. Religious slogans were shouted during the attack on the Hindus. The controversy started on Saturday when a piece of meat was tied to a Hindu religious flag. Hindu organisations protested alleging that the flag was desecrated and demanded strict action against the accused. As soon as the information about the protests of Hindu organisations came, the people on the other side also started mobilising, triggering clashes between the two groups.
The Internet has been shut down in the Kadma area, which is said to be most affected by Sunday’s violence. Section 144 has been imposed in some areas. Jamshedpur’s SSP Prabhat Kumar has informed us that some people have been taken into custody and the situation is under control. Jamshedpur’s DC has appealed not to share any kind of misleading and provocative things on social media.
Stone pelters came out of JMM’s Iftar party
VHP’s Jamshedpur District Officer Sanjeev Kumar told OpIndia that on March 9, two JMM leaders Pawan Kumar and Babban Rai had organized an iftar party in the locality adjacent to the temple that was targeted during the violence. He claims that the crowd that came out of this Iftar party, wearing masks on their faces, first pelted stones at the temple and later set fire to the nearby shops.
Speaking to OpIndia, Sanjeev Kumar accused the administration of one-sided action. He said that the district administration had warned Hindus not to play DJ etc. on Ram Navami. DJ units were also seized. On Saturday, the meat bag was hung on the flag of the temple.
Sanjeev Kumar told, “The administration is hesitating to take action against the people of the other side because of the coming of Eid. Around 10 people have been arrested from the Hindu side, including VHP campaign chief Uttam Das and Bajrang Dal city convenor. Raids are going on to arrest many other Hindu leaders. Hindus are the easy target here.”