Ranchi: Clashes between two communities and a shutdown were witnessed in Jharkhand capital Ranchi on Saturday after a piece of beef was allegedly found in a temple.
The beef was allegedly found in a temple situated in Doranda locality on Friday night, prompting the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Bajrang Dal members to give a call for a shutdown with their supporters trying to forcibly close the shops.
According to the Indian Express, trouble that snowballed into Saturday’s near-riot began in the Lower Hinoo locality on Friday night. When power was restored after an outage at 10 pm, local residents noticed an animal’s hide had been placed outside the perimeter wall of a Kali Temple.
Tempers frayed overnight and as a result, a van of the Ranchi Municipal Corporation and a shop selling chicken were set on fire – according to a police statement, by the Hindus.
The police statement said that trouble began on Saturday at 10 am when, “….about 150 people belonging to the Bajrang Dal and other Hindu organisations took out a procession and at the Ratan Talkies Junction, threw objects at the Etra Masjid, abusing.
"...The Muslims blocked the road in protest, “….and this went on till one in the afternoon.”
Clashes between VHP workers and others left a few people injured. Tyres were burnt at many places in Ranchi, police said.
Parents were informed by schools to collect their children from school because of the stone pelting and burning of tyres.
Chief Minister Raghubar Das's convoy, heading towards the airport to pick him up, was also stopped by the bandh supporters near Hino locality in Ranchi.
When Das returned to Ranchi from Jamshedpur, he met people and assured them of taking necessary action and providing free treatment to the injured.
The chief minister appealed to the people to maintain peace.
Prohibitory orders have been imposed in Ranchi.
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