While the Pran Pratishtha (consecration ceremony) of Lord Ram took place in Ayodhya on the 22nd of January and religious rallies were held throughout the world to commemorate the landmark event, a different level of Hindu hostility was observed in Jharkhand where processions were assaulted in several places by Muslim extremists who hurled stones at the Lord’s devotees.
Several incidents of assault in Giridih
Three incidents of conflict were reported in Giridih due to which many people sustained injuries. The first occurrence transpired in the city near the Line Masjid and the second one happened in Purnanagar which is under the jurisdiction of the Mufassil police station. Stone pelting took place between two communities in which several people suffered minor injuries. The wounded were admitted to Sadar Hospital Giridih for medical treatment. Giridih Superintendent of Police (SP) Deepak Kumar Sharma confirmed both instances and informed that heavy security force has been deployed at both places. Police responded swiftly and arrested a Muslim person named Mohammad Jabir.
Several cases of altercations were reported in Giridih. One such event involved the fatal attack on Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) worker Rohit Mahato of Birni near Azad Nagar due to which he was gravely injured. Meanwhile, there was intense stone-pelting in the vicinity of Chunjka in the Mufassil police station area. It was reported that a procession was leaving from Purnanagar Ram temple and headed for the Chunjka Bajrang Bali temple. Multiple individuals were hurt when people from other community began throwing stones from the roofs of their homes when the devotees reached close to their destination. Numerous police personnel who arrived at the scene also sustained injuries.
Tension in Lohardaga’s Kairo
There have been accounts of violent encounters in the Lohardaga region of Jharkhand. The people were celebrating the inauguration of Ram Mandir on the night of 22nd January in Hanhat village of the Kairo police station area. People from both sides faced each other as the religious songs were being played in the temple and the throng ringed the building with sticks. SP Haris Bin Zaman confirmed the incident and stated that police had been called in because of the critical situation. An attempt was made to normalise things by holding meetings with people from both parties.
माहौल बिगाड़ने की साजिश नाकाम।
— News18 Jharkhand (@News18Jharkhand) January 23, 2024
गिरिडीह में सद्भाव का माहौल बिगाड़ने की साजिश नाकाम। धनबाद में भी पत्थरबाजी के बाद अलर्ट मोड में पुलिस। #Crime pic.twitter.com/TWPtDA1eOa
Riots at two places including Tundi in Dhanbad
After tensions erupted on 21st January at the Tundi police station area of Dhanbad, individuals from the opposing side emerged from their homes during an evening religious parade in Chhatabad the next day after which arguments and fights ensued between the two sides. However, the matter settled down after cops including Deputy Superintendent of Police Amar Kumar Pandey intervened. Simultaneously, a clash between two communities over the hoisting of a religious flag in Kadiya on 21st January resulted in many casualties. Each side submitted a written complaint to the authorities in connection to the incident.
