29 Held for Ranchi Violence, Prohibitory Orders Still in Place: Police

Two persons were killed and more than two dozen people critically injured as protests and clashes rocked the city.

At least two persons were reported dead in Jharkhand's Ranchi on Saturday morning, 11 June, in the aftermath of the clashes that broke out in the capital city on Friday evening.

(Photo: PTI)

Twenty-nine people have been arrested so far in connection with the violence that erupted in Jharkhand capital Ranchi after Friday prayers on 10 June, while investigations are underway to identify miscreants and prevent any further communal tension, the police said on Wednesday, 15 June.

Two persons were killed and more than two dozen people critically injured, as protests and clashes over controversial remarks by now-suspended Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders rocked the city on 10 June.

Tension continue to prevail in the capital with prohibitory orders under section 144 Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) still in force in parts of the city, and security deployment augmented to avoid any recurrence of Friday's mayhem.

"Altogether 29 people have been arrested so far in connection with the violence. Twelve of them have been sent to judicial custody. Seven are under treatment at Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) Ranchi, while 10 have been booked under section 151 CrPC (arrest to prevent the commission of cognizable offences)," Jharkhand Police spokesperson and IG (operations) Amol V Homkar told PTI.

Around 3,500 police personnel are keeping guard in Ranchi, with RAF deployment extended for the week in the particularly sensitive areas, he maintained.

Homkar also said that those arrested include one Nawab Chishti, who is alleged to be one of those who provoked protestors through social media posts.

He stated that the police are keeping a close vigil on the situation.

"The situation is under control… we are investigating the matter. The police are taking all possible measures to prevent any further flare up," City Superintendent of Police Anshuman Kumar told PTI.

More than 22 people have been booked by name, along with thousands of unidentified individuals in 25 First Information Reports (FIRS) after Friday's violence.

Deepak Kumar Dubey, the sub-divisional magistrate of Ranchi, told PTI that restrictions on public movement continue to be in place in Kotwali, Lower Bazar, Chutia, Daily Market, Doranda, and Hindipiri station areas.

According to a RIMS official, seven injured people are still undergoing treatment at the medical facility including one Nadeem Ansari, 24, who is battling for life.

Jharkhand Governor Ramesh Bais on Monday had summoned DGP Neeraj Sinha and other senior officials at Raj Bhavan, seeking to know why preventive measures or action to disperse the crowd were not taken during the agitation.

Bais also questioned why police personnel were not wearing protective gear during the agitation. He asked the police to release posters of those involved in the protests so that they can be identified.

The director general of police, on his part, told Bais that only 150 people was expected during the protest, as per an Intelligence Bureau (IB) report, but thousands joined in.