Minister C.P. Singh on dharna against arrest of Hindus over communal clashes

Jharkhand Urban Development Minister C.P. Singh on Wednesday began an indefinite fast at Kotwali Police Station in Ranchi, protesting the arrest of five people following communal clashes in the city.

Singh alleged that the police were taking action selectively against members of the majority community while allowing accused persons from the other community to go unpunished.

“This protest is against the police who always take action against the majority community, while the criminals from the other community go scot-free,” Singh told reporters.

The minister’s protest followed the arrest of five people by Ranchi Police after fresh clashes broke out between members of two communities near the Pahadi Temple area.

The dispute had first surfaced on Tuesday, when members of the Hindu community alleged that a place of worship had been desecrated. Police intervened and managed to defuse the situation at the time. However, tensions resurfaced on Wednesday, with members of the two communities engaging in stone-pelting.

City SP Aman Kumar said several people, including police personnel and media workers, were injured in the violence. Additional security forces were deployed in the area, while prohibitory orders under Section 144 were imposed to prevent further escalation.

The administration's immediate priority is to contain the situation and prevent further clashes. The deployment of additional forces and restrictions on public movement are aimed at maintaining law and order while authorities assess the circumstances surrounding the violence.

The Ranchi clashes came amid another communal confrontation in Koderma district.

On Tuesday night, six policemen were injured during clashes between members of two communities in Jaynagar. The incident began when members of the Hindu community were taking part in the immersion procession of a Lord Vishwakarma idol.

According to the police, objections were raised by members of the minority community over the use of firecrackers during the procession. The disagreement subsequently escalated into stone-pelting between the two groups, leaving six policemen and several others injured.

Prohibitory orders have also been imposed in Jaynagar, with a heavy security presence deployed to prevent further violence.

The back-to-back incidents have placed the district administrations on heightened alert, with authorities focusing on preventing rumours and further mobilisation of crowds from aggravating tensions.