Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren on Saturday has ordered a high-level probe into Friday’s violence in Ranchi, over remarks against Prophet Muhammad by BJP spokespersons Nupur Sharma and Naveen Jindal. A two-member committee has been formed to look into the deadly violence that rocked the state capital, leaving two persons dead and at least 24 people injured.
According to Jharkhand police, a special investigation team has been formed and additional security forces have been deployed in other sensitive districts as well.
Officials said the two-member committee comprises senior IAS officer Amitabh Kaushal and additional director general (ADG) of police Sanjay Latkar. The committee has been asked to submit its report to the state government in a week, officials added.
Ranchi’s deputy inspector general Anish Gupta said an SIT has also been set up. “Three FIRs have been lodged so far. Search operations are on to arrest the persons involved in the violence,” he said.
Prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the CrPC have been clamped in 10 police station areas, including Sukhdev Nagar, Lower Bazar, Daily Market and Hindpidi, to control any further flareups, police said. Internet has also been suspended in the district, they added.
Ranchi’s senior superintendent of police Surendra Kumar Jha was hospitalised with a head injury, officials said. Besides the head, he also received injuries in other parts of his body on being hit by stones, they said.
Former CM Raghubar Das told News18 that despite the home ministry’s advisory to states, the government did not make proper arrangements. “The police were helpless at the protest site. There was a crowd of at least 20,000 people. Why wasn’t proper arrangement made? The PFI was involved. We demand that the state government form a special SIT team and investigate the matter. These anti-social elements want to disturb the peace of the society,” Das added.
(With PTI inputs)
