Jamshedpur Police on Saturday opened fire in the air to disperse a mob, which blocked roads here, demanding arrest of those involved in the lynching of four persons of a community in Seraikela-Kharsawan district. Police had to open seven rounds of fire to control the situation.
The protesters had gathered in the Mango area demanding immediate arrest of the culprits involved in the lynching of four persons of their community under Rajnagar police station area. The local residents mobilised support and started pelting stones at the police. After sometime, more local residents came at the trouble spot and resumed pelting. The protest that started in Azad Basti area also reached Munshi Mohalla leading police to resort to lathi charge.
The police sealed the entire Mango area leading to closure of shops and other commercial places. People heading towards Mango were stopped midway.
East Singhbhum Deputy Commissioner Amit Kumar said that the police fired in the air and hurled tear gas shells to disperse the mob. “However, the situation is under control and adequate forces have been deployed in the area to maintain law and order,” he said and appealed to the people not to pay heed to any rumour.
Four persons Sheikh Naim (35), Sheikh Sajju (25), Sheikh Siraj (26) and Sheikh Halim (28) were lynched by villagers at Rajnagar in Seraikela-Kharsawan on May 18. Three others were also lynched on the suspicion of being child lifters on the same day at Nagadih in East Singhbhum district.
As the situation continued to get worse by in the afternoon, the administration put a barricade on the Mango bridge, and stopped four-wheelers to cross the bridge toward Mango.
Demanding arrest of the culprits, the members of a community also put up road blockade in Dhatkidih under Bistupur police station area of East Singhbhum district, disrupting traffic movement.
SSP Anoop T Mathew said the situation was under control. "We have increased the deployment of police forces," he said. He said that forces from district police and RAF have been deployed.
Chief Minister Raghubar Das had yesterday announced Rs 2 lakh compensation to the family members of each victim lynched by the villagers in Seraikela-Kharswan and East Singhbhum districts on the suspicion of being child lifters.
The administration of both Seraikela-Kharswan and East Singhbhum districts has launched awareness drives in their respective areas educating people not to pay heed to rumours on child-lifting incidents.
Meanwhile, ahops belonging to a particular community remained closed in Haldipokhar in Potka block and other parts of the city. Incidentally, three out of the four lynched (Sheikh Sajju, Sheikh Siraj and Sheikh Halim) at Rajnagar hailed from Haldipokhar. While another Sheikh Naim was from Phulpal area of Ghatshila. Seraikela-Kharsawan SP Rakesh Bansal said that 21 villagers of Rajnagar have been identified.
“We will nail the culprits. All the 21 identified villagers against whom cases have been lodged have deserted the village. We will soon initiate proceedings, as per legal provision, to attach their properties or demolish their houses. The number of villagers will increase further based on identification. So far, no arresting has been done in the case. The bodies of all the four lynched have been handed over to their relatives after post mortem at MGM Medical College and Hospital at Jamshedpur,” said Bansal.
The bodies of the three (Vikas Verma, Gautam Verma and Gangesh Gupta) lynched at Bagbera were also handed over to their relatives after post mortem. DSP law and order Bimal Kumar who is investigating in Bagbera incident said that so far no arresting has been made.