On Thursday (15th February), a Hindu procession carrying a Saraswati idol for immersion in the Darbhanga district of Bihar was attacked while passing through the Kasai Mohalla (Butchers’ Colony) in Muriya in the Bhalpatti OP sector. The Islamist mob pelted stones, stole from the houses nearby, vandalised the area and also broke into pieces the Saraswati idol. The Hindu procession was being carried to mark the festival of Basant Panchami on 14th February.
#WATCH | Darbhanga, Bihar: On clash between two communities over statue immersion, Darbhanga DM Rajeev Raushan says, "In Muriya panchayat, a clash broke out between two communities during statue immersion… We had talks with both parties and the due work of the immersion has… pic.twitter.com/BUEQ0EFrgv
— ANI (@ANI) February 16, 2024
Half a dozen houses were also ransacked when the mob looted the houses during the chaos. Darbhanga DM Rajiv Roshan and SSP Jagunath Reddy rushed to the spot as soon as the incident was reported. The administration deployed heavy security to establish peace in the area.
Visuals of a Saraswati Puja procession being attacked when they reached Kasai mohalla (butchers’ colony) in Bihar’s Darbhanga today
— Swati Goel Sharma (@swati_gs) February 15, 2024
A Hindu festival turned into an occasion of chaos, with many participants left injured, and curfew imposed. Yet again
A hundred years ago, when… pic.twitter.com/lD2nJDprZB
According to the reports, Hindus were peacefully going for idol immersion in Tarasarai Muria Tola. Suddenly some people started pelting stones at them while passing through Kasai Mohalla – a Muslim-dominated area. As soon as the stones were thrown, the matter worsened and the clash erupted. The miscreants damaged the Saraswati idol. Not only this, they also vandalised many houses of local villagers.
As soon as the incident was reported, a large number of security forces from the district police reached there. The police tried to calm the matter and later facilitated idol immersion.
Darbhanga District Magistrate Rajeev Roushan said, “During Saraswati idol immersion, there was fierce stone pelting between two sides in Tarasarai Muria of Bhalpatti OP area. Efforts are being made to identify the miscreants. The incident took place on the way to immerse the idol. We had talks with both parties and the due work of the immersion has been completed. The clash began on from where to turn the idol’s procession on the road. At the same time, the houses of some people have also been targeted in this incident. Those who have done this are also being identified. Strict legal action will be taken against such miscreants.”
Darbhanga’s SSP Jagunath Reddy said, “Because of the incident, the situation has been brought under control with a large number of BMP district police and staff of several other police stations. The idol is being immersed. Many people also suffered injuries due to stone pelting. At present, the matter is under control.”
A similar attack was perpetrate din Darbhanga on 22nd January when stones were pelted at the Shri Ram Shobha Yatra at the time.
