After communal clashes in Nawada around the eve of Ramnavmi, tension gripped the town of Bikramganj, with incidents of stone pelting, torching of vehicles and ruckus during the annual Ramnavmi rally.
Locals allege that the violence wasn’t spontaneous but expected, which explains why the police had blocked several roads including the Sasaram road, which is inhabited largely by Muslim community. Even then, goons gathered around the blocked roads and burnt vehicles parked on the side of the road.
A local who wished to remain anonymous said, “The license for the rally was from Vikramganj Chowk to Natwar road only, but some fringe elements tried to broke the protocol and they entered into the banned Sasaram road, where many Muslim families live.”
Amir Quraishi, a local meat vendor, has suffered a huge loss in the stone pelting and destruction by the goons. “They removed the chicken from my shop”, said Amir. Shamshad Quraishi’s shop of cold drinks was also attacked when public headed to Sasaram road.
But the accused participants of procession said that the stone pelting was started from the ‘other’ side, in which a policeman was also injured.
When police managed to take control of the situation at the Sasaram road, the violence started at Dhangai road. At Dhangai road, a mob burnt a truck loaded with cattle and beat the driver of the same. A bike parked nearby was also torched.
Earlier on Tuesday, communal tension gripped Nawada after religious posters were torn by anti-social elements a day ahead of the Ramnavmi festival. According to police, security forces have been deployed in the town and the situation is under control.
Hundreds of people on Tuesday morning blocked NH31 to protest and demanded action against anti-social elements involved in tearing religious posters in Nawada. The situation took a communal colour when some youths of another community reportedly pelted stones at those demonstrating near Sadbhavna Chowk in Nawada.
However, the police in camping in both of the tensed towns. ASP Neeraj Kumar Singh has informed the media that identification of anti-social elements is in the progress with the help of a video that was recorded during the events.
This story was first published on Two Circles.
(With inputs from IANS)