By PTI
JAMSHEDPUR: Police staged a flag march in East Singhbhum and imposed prohibitory orders in adjoining Seraikela-Kharswan as a precautionary measure to prevent any communal flare-up in these two districts of Jharkhand, officials said.
The flag march was staged in sensitive pockets of Jamshedpur such as Mango, Azadnagar and Olidih police station areas to inculcate confidence among the people, they said.
The administration is prepared to meet any eventuality and police are on alert, Deputy Commissioner of East Singhbhum Vijaya Jadav said.
The district cyber cell is keeping a strict vigil on the internet, she said, urging people not to post or forward any messages on social media, which could disturb the peace.
Magistrates and police teams have been deployed in strategic locations to maintain law and order, she said.
Police patrolling has been intensified, Jadav added.
A peace committee meeting was also convened to maintain coordination.
In neighbouring Seraikela-Kharswan, prohibitory orders under section 144 of the CrPC have been imposed in both Seraikela and Chandil sub-divisions till further notice, a senior police official said.
Deputy Commissioner Arava Rajkamal told PTI that the prohibitory orders were imposed acting on inputs that some people planned a procession on Sunday at Kapali in Chandil police station area over the inflammatory remarks made against Prophet Mohammad.
The security arrangement in the district was also tightened with the deployment of forces in sensitive areas.
Patrolling has been intensified to maintain law and order, he said.
Deadly violence broke out in state capital Ranchi on Friday over the inflammatory comments made by two BJP functionaries, who have been suspended.
‘It was a nightmare’: Bihar Minister who got mobbed during Ranchi violence
“Only God saved me and it was a nightmare that will continue to haunt me”, says Bihar Minister Nitin Naveen whose car had got stranded amid a mob near the Hanuman Temple on Ranchi’s Main Road on Friday when protests over controversial remarks on Prophet Mohammad led to violence.
The senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) member and Bihar Road Construction Minister Nitin Naveen was on way to attend a family function at that time.
Violent protests rocked Ranchi on Friday following the alleged derogatory remarks of now-suspended BJP spokespersons Nupur Sharma and Naveen Jindal about the Prophet.
“What I underwent was a nightmare that will continue to haunt me. I believe only God saved me. I was in Ranchi to attend a family function and was staying at Capitol Hill on the Main Road. Post lunch when I planned to move to Morabadi, we saw an unusual gathering and then protests. When vehicles started to move,we thought we will also start but little did we not know that it will be so violent. My car was stuck near the Hanuman Temple and Kali Mandir on Main Road and the mob had started throwing stones,” Naveen told PTI over phone from Patna.
The minister said usually he stays at the State Guest House while visiting Ranchi but this time he preferred to stay at a hotel in view of the by-election to the Mandar assembly seat on June 23 and keeping in mind the model code of conduct.
“My escort was left behind and I found there were no policemen. The law enforcers arrived later and protestors began firing which led to counter firing by the police. I was trapped in the crossfire. Stones were being hurled, rioting and arson took place and my SUV was attacked from all sides. Fortunately my driver continued to drive slowly but bike-borne miscreants chased us,” the minister said.
His vehicle was almost smashed by the time it reached Kashmir Vastralaya, a prominent shop in the Jharkhand capital.
“Imagine yourself surrounded by thousands of people with firearms, iron rods, bricks and weapons. I will never forget the aggression of the mob and somehow we could save our lives,” Naveen said.
When the administration knew of the protests, how could it not deploy adequate police force? he asked.
Asked whether he lodged an FIR in this connection, he said he e-mailed his FIR to Jharkhand DGP Neeraj Sinha who has assured him of taking action.
