THE JHARKHAND STORY NETWORK
Daltonganj, Oct 13: With swift and tactful intervention by Garhwa DC Shekhar Jamuar and SP Deepak Kumar Pandey, the escalation to the communal fracas was not only foiled but the heat and intensity of the communal frenzy was defused after strenuous and arduous efforts on the intervening night of Saturday / Sunday.
Sources said the DC and the SP had to be present till 3 am Sunday at village Lakhna under Sadar block in Garhwa district, the scene of the communal fracas and frenzy.
Dispute over immersion procession route
The organisers of the immersion procession of the idols were determined to pass through a narrow passage of the village on whose both sides were houses of the minority community.
The minority community was resisting it citing no precedence over such a passage in the past through the chicken neck route. The minority community saw in it a kind of religious bigotism and hegemony.
It led to stone pelting in which a couple of people drawn from both communities were hurt. One of the injured was rushed to the RIMS Ranchi.
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The DC told the Jharkhand Story correspondent today, “There broke out a scuffle between the two communities over the passage of the immersion procession of the idols.”
“There were processionists all hell-bent on passing through the narrow passage. There were people on the other side too who were equally vociferous not to allow it,” he said.
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“We first sent in our SDO and SDPO. The site of the communal fracas was barely 10 km away from the Garhwa headquarters of the administration,” he added.
Shekhar Jamuar said, “From there came a proposal for a 5-man procession passing through the narrow passage. We said no to it. We were very clear and firm. No new precedence. There were reasons for it. The Puja pandal was unlicensed. Again, it has not informed us about its route chart. Further, there was no mention of this Pandal or its route in the peace committee meeting.”
When asked if this eruption was abrupt or if was a planned or calculated one, pat came the reply of the DC, “It was a very well-orchestrated episode with devilish intent and sinister motive.”
“Our civil and police officials acted with utmost restraint and caution. None panicked. They looked in command of the situation amidst such a situation where frenzied religious war slogans were being raised full-throated at night,” added Jamuar.
Processionists agreed not to negotiate narrow lane
The processionists finally agreed not to negotiate the narrow passage having houses of the minority lined up there.
“The processionists put forward one condition. It was that the Muharram procession would also not negotiate the Hindu locality route. Here the minority community lapped it up saying it would abide by this condition without fail,” he pointed out.
The DC said, “Thus peace was achieved. The immersion went off peacefully without negotiating the narrow passage. There was no tussle then.”
The Garhwa SP said, “An FIR has been drawn against the stone pelters who took the law into their hands putting peace and harmony at peril. The law will take its course. The offenders will be booked. No one can get away by hijacking peace and harmony. Let it be very clear. Garhwa district police brook no such aberration. It acts tough.”
“I have taken medical report of the injured undergoing treatment in Garhwa and Ranchi. They are responding to the treatment,” he added.
