Tension prevails in the Patel Chowk area which falls under the Sahibganj district of Jharkhand. Clashes erupted after an Islamist vandalised an idol in the Hanuman temple on April 3, as per the reports the incident occurred on the intervening night of April 2 but came to light the next morning.
The incident sparked a huge controversy among the local Hindu community who later staged a protest blocking National Highway 80 for three hours, a few incidents of stone pelting were also reported from the area, following which a huge deployment of police personnel was made.
News Agency ANI reported, “Tension prevailed in Sahibganj after a Hanuman temple near Patel chowk was vandalised by miscreants earlier today. Additional Police forces deployed.”
#WATCH | Jharkhand: Tension prevailed in Sahibganj after a Hanuman temple near Patel chowk was vandalised by miscreants earlier today. Additional Police forces deployed. pic.twitter.com/9v3PZ499hA
— ANI (@ANI) April 3, 2023
It is been reported that after learning about the incident the members of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) along with the locals started demanding the arrest of the culprits. Notably, the police quickly arranged for a local sculptor to fix the damage done to the idol.
Meanwhile, additional forces were deployed citing the tense situation in the area. Also, the internet was shut down for some time. It is to be noted similar altercation broke out in the region after a group of people attacked an idol immersion in the district on April 2, following which heavy stone pelting was reported between the two communities.
Police detained more than two dozen people including the man who damaged the idol at the temple after going through the CCTV footage of the area.
“There is a Hanuman temple near Patel Chowk, and anti-social elements indulged in mischief there. We have recovered the CCTV footage. We are verifying it. Some people have been identified, they will be questioned. District Administration will take stringent action against them:” Sahibganj deputy commissioner was quoted as saying by the news agency ANI.
A senior police officer was injured during a clash between two communities in Sahibganj town.
It is to be noted that the state has witnessed numerous incidents of communal altercations during idol immersions in the last few years as it is becoming like a regular exercise. A youth identified as Rupesh Pandey was also killed by a mob after an altercation broke out between the two communities during idol immersion in the Hazaribagh district in February last year.
In September the High Court directed the CBI to probe the case after expressing dissatisfaction over the States police investigation.
