The communal unrest in Bihar that has been festering since Ram Navami celebrations doesn't seem to be ending, with fresh violence reported on Friday when miscreants vandalised an idol of Lord Hanuman in Nawada district, around 120 kms from capital Patna.
Communal clashes have already been reported from Aurangabad, Bhagalpur, Nalanda, Munger, Ara and Samastipur districts while unrest was also witnessed in Araria and Darbhanga.
An official of the Nawada district administration said the tension commenced when an idol of Lord Hanuman was found damaged on NH 31. "Members of both communities indulged in stone-pelting, and torched some shops and vehicles. Mediapersons were also attacked by the stone-pelters. To bring the situation under control, the internet services were suspended and police and paramilitary forces were deployed," he said.
Nawada district magistrate Kaushal Kumar said the situation was brought under control after deployment of forces. Sources added that the cops had to fire in the air and resort to cane-charging to control the mob.
Nawada is the constituency of junior Union Minister and BJP MP Giriraj Singh, who told reporters that the violence was a conspiracy planned by the Congress. "They want the disintegration of the country," he said.
The Opposition, however, blamed the BJP and RSS for flaring violence. "RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat was in Bihar for 14 days and designed the riots with Ram Navami at the centre of it," said Tejashwi Prasad Yadav, the Leader of the Opposition in Bihar Legislative Assembly.
Tejashwi has alleged that Bihar CM Nitish Kumar was not getting a free hand by the BJP to contain the clashes. The Congress too had alleged that Kumar was a "helpless" CM.
CLASHES SPREAD
- Members of both communities indulged in stone-pelting, and torched some shops
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