Tension gripped the Steel City after communal clashes at Mango locality of late last night. The protest started after a group of three bike-borne youths belonging to a particular community opened fire in the air at Gandhi Maidan in Mango where a fair was organised as a part of Eid celebrations on Monday night.Soon thereafter the trio tried to molest two girls near the Payal cinema and also flashed fire-arms to the local residents in adjoining Daiguttu locality.
Following molestation by the miscreants, there was panic among the residents in Daiguttu. Soon afterwards at around 11 pm, about 100 youths assembled near a temple at Daiguttu and set up a blockade there on the Mango-Azadnagar road demanding the administration to take action against the three youths.But, at the same time a large number of youths gathered at Gandhi Maidan near a mosque. As the residents of Daiguttu squatted on the road, a section of people from Gandhi Maidan came closer to the blockade spot and pelted stones at the protestors. They pelted stones at the temple, causing the glass fittings to get damaged.
In retaliation of the stone pelting, the residents of Daiguttu also started pelting stones, and the situation flared-up. By this time, a large number of policemen had arrived at the spot and tried to controlled the situation. Police fired three rounds in the air after triggering tear gas shells to disperse the violent crowd.
Senior superintendent of police, Anoop T Mathew, city SP, Chandan Jha, SP (rural) Shailendra Kumar Sinha and all the deputy superintendents of police arrived at the site for controlling the situation, but as the situation continued to get more and more tense, the police opened fire in the air.
By 2 am today, Mango turned into a battle field as both sides were involved in stone-pelting at each other side. Subsequently, the police lobbed tear gas shells and fired as many as 22 rounds in the air, for dispersing the mob.
In the stone-pelting incident last night, deputy superintendent of police Animesh Nathani and circle inspector of Mango Satyendra Prasad alongwith with a few other constables sustained injuries. Nathani was admitted to the Tata Main Hospital , where he is presently undergoing treatment.
Sensing trouble, sub-divisional officer, Dhalbhum Alok Kumar imposed Section 144 of the CrPC, declaring that assembly of five or more people at any place in the city is prohibitory.
In protest against the late night's incident Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) called for Jamshedpur bandh today. The activists of the outfit assembled at Mango Chowk this morning at around 10 am .When a large number of police were holding the VHP activists at Mango Chowk, a section of youth went over to Munshi Mohalla and pelted stones at a mosque, triggering fresh trouble. The youths had also torched about a dozen push-carts along the Mango-Azadnagar road and also looted half-dozen shops belonging to the people of the particular community.As the situation continued to get worse by 10 am today, the administration put a barricade on the Mango bridge, and stopped four-wheelers to cross the bridge toward Mango.
Management of several private schools declared closure and allowed the parents to take back their wards. City SP, Chandan Jha said the situation was under control. "We have increased the deployment of police force. Eight persons from both the sides were arrested and more arrests will follow. The situation is well under control," said Jha.Senior Congress leader SRA Rizwi Chabban condemned the incident and said that the people with criminal backgrounds are trying to flare up the situation. Administration must act against them.