Ranchi: In a shocking development reported from Jharkhand’s Lohardaga district, a group of miscreants allegedly assaulted Kanwar Yatris at Narkopi railway station on Monday afternoon, July 22.
According to media reports, the devotees were attacked and looted when they boarded a train after offering sacred water at Pahadi Mandir in Jhakhand’s capital Ranchi, around 80 km from Lohardaga, and were returning via train.
The incident occurred at Narkopi railway station when a group of miscreants boarded the train and assaulted few of the Kanwar Yatri along snatching valuables from them. One of the youth who opposed the miscreants was also beaten by the former following which he de-boarded the train out of fear and went missing. The youth was later traced by the police and then taken to Lohardaga.
The devotees along with other local Hindu outfits later assembled at Power Chowk in Lohardaga and jammed the Lohardga-Gumla Highway demanding action against the miscreants. Upon learning about the protest a police team along with senior officials of the administration immediately rushed to the spot and tried calming the agitated protestors.
It’s been reported that the agitated devotees withdrew their protest only after the missing youth, Shri Nayak arrived in Lohardaga. Nayak has also submitted an application before the Government Railway Police (GRP) at Narkopi and the case is being investigated by the officials.
Reports of stone pelting, snatching and assault, BJP slams state government
The devotees alleged that the perpetrators were carrying sharp edged weapons and they also pelted stones on the Kanwariyas alongside snatching their valuables and assaulting them.
They further pointed out that similar attacks on Yatris were also orchestrated on other railway stations such as Nakjuawa and Akasi as well, suggesting this a planned conspiracy which need to be unearthed.
The protestors also expressed their anguish over lack of security arrangements for them citing that the Yatra details had already been shared with the police and the administration who failed to act on time.
Meanwhile the attack on the Kanwar Yatris also prompted sharp reactions from the leaders of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Taking to the X, Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the Jharkhand State assembly, Amar Kumar Bauri said that Kanwariyas returning to Lohardaga after offering sacred water to Mahadev at Pahadi Mnadir were attacked by Hemant Soren’s unruly “special community” at Narkopi railway station.
रांची "पहाड़ी मंदिर" में महादेव को जलाभिषेक करने के बाद लोहरदगा लौट रहे कावड़ियों पर नरकोपि स्टेशन पर हेमंत सोरेन के चहेते मनबढ़ू "समुदाय विशेष" के द्वारा हमला किया गया !
मिली जानकारी के मुताबिक 40 से 50 की संख्या में एक "विशेष समुदाय" के लोगों ने ट्रेन पर हमला कर दिया और… pic.twitter.com/dD8C4iIozw
— Amar Kumar Bauri (@amarbauri) July 23, 2024
“According to the information received, 40 to 50 people from a “particular community” attacked the train and indulged in massive stone pelting, snatching, assault and looting. May be the Hemant government which is wearing the glasses of dirty politics of appeasement and vote bank policy is not able to see anything,” he added.
“In Jharkhand a particular class is creating a ruckus under the protection of the Hemant Soren and the government is watching the spectacle. One should note that if there is place after Santhal Pargana where the Bangladeshis have infiltrated the most it’s in Lohardaga,” reads Bauri’s post further.
It is to be noted that the State has witnessed a surge in cases linked to communal scuffles in recent times adding fuel to the already charged up political scenario, where the opposition BJP has been continuously alleging the incumbent coalition government for failing to protect the rights of the majority community for the sake of appeasement politics.
