Stone-Pelting On Temple Procession In Bihar's Jamui Injures Six; Internet Suspended For 48 Hours, Eight Arrested

A religious procession from a temple in Bihar's Jamui district faced stone-pelting in a communal conflict, following which the authorities imposed a 48-hour internet suspension, Indian Express reported.

In the conflict that took place at Baluadih village on Sunday (16 February), numerous individuals, including Nitish Sah, the Deputy Chairman of Jamui Nagar Parishad, were harmed. The following day, Monday, saw the arrest of eight people.

The Jamui police reported that the event occurred within the Jhajha police station's jurisdiction at approximately 4.30 pm on Sunday. This was when a group of 30 individuals were returning from a temple in a procession. Even though half a dozen police officers were accompanying the procession, a clash and stone-pelting incident still broke out.

Deputy Chairman Nitish Sah of Jamui Nagar Parishad was hospitalised at the Indira Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences (IGIMS) due to a severe injury. The incident also resulted in minor injuries for five other individuals.

Abhilasha Sharma, the District Magistrate of Jamui, announced the suspension of internet services for a period of 48 hours as a safety measure. She also mentioned the deployment of extra forces at Baluadih, with high-ranking police officers stationed on-site.

Madan Kumar Anand, the Superintendent of Police in Jamui, stated that two First Information Reports (FIRs) have been lodged. The first FIR was filed based on a complaint by local residents, implicating 41 individuals. Out of these, eight have been apprehended.

“We have lodged a second case against unknown people for rioting, inciting violence and causing damage to public property,” the SP was quoted as saying by IE.