Prophet remarks row: Security beefed up throughout Jharkhand, Assam forward of Friday prayers

By PTI

RANCHI: Security was beefed up in Jharkhand capital metropolis and delicate areas of the state on Thursday forward of Friday prayers and about 5000 further forces geared up with anti-riot gears and water cannons have been deployed at strategic pockets and spiritual locations to forestall any untoward incident, police stated.

Some strategic places within the capital Ranchi have been barricaded with a purpose to management any violence or communal flare up and peace conferences have been held by the police and administration, who appealed to the minority group to not maintain congregational prayers on roads, officers stated.

The further precautions have been taken in view of the Friday prayers as violence had erupted in Ranchi on June 10 after the customary congregational prayers, Jharkhand Police spokesperson and IG(operations) Amol V Homkar informed PTI.

Two individuals have been killed and greater than 24 folks critically injured in protests and clashes within the metropolis over the controversial remarks on Prophet Mohammad by suspended BJP leaders on June 10.

Police needed to intervene to manage the scenario at Hazaribagh, Ramgarh and Jamshedpur.

“Police forces are on the alert across Jharkhand and additional deployments of forces equipped with anti-riot gears and water cannons have been made at all strategic pockets and sensitive areas. About 5,000 police personnel have been deputed at strategic locations in the state including over 3,500 in Ranchi,” Homkar stated.

Homkar stated police is protecting a strict vigil on all social media platforms and warned of strict motion if provocative materials is posted on it.

In Ranchi, the safety forces have been deployed with magistrates.

“We are keeping track of updates. Forces have been deployed for Friday. The situation is normal,” Deputy Inspector General of Police, Ranchi, Anish Gupta stated.

As a measure of preparedness, a mock drill of the forces was carried out through the day moreover evaluation of water canons and different gears, officers stated.

Prohibitory orders below Section 144 of CrPC clamped on June 10 to manage the scenario remained in drive within the six police station areas of the town – Kotwali, Lower Bazar, Chutia, Daily Market, Doranda and Hindipiri, they stated.

Ranchi Deputy Commissioner, Chhavi Ranjan appealed to folks to cooperate in sustaining peace and order within the metropolis and warned of strict motion towards these indulging in actions that might flare up communal pressure.

He requested folks to desist from exchanging provocative social media posts and cautioned them that strict motion shall be taken towards these discovered responsible of it.

Jharkhand Governor Ramesh Bais had summoned state director normal of police Neeraj Sinha and different senior officers to the Raj Bhavan on Monday and had sought to know why preventive measures or motion to disperse the gang weren’t taken through the agitation on June 10.

He had additionally requested why police personnel despatched out to manage the scenario on that day didn’t put on anti-riot gear.

The authorities on Thursday imposed prohibitory orders below Section 144 of the CrPC in your complete Sonitpur district to forestall any untoward incident amid violent protests over controversial feedback on Prophet Mohammad throughout the nation.

This is the fifth district of the state the place the orders have been clamped after Cachar, Karimganj, Hailakandi and Kamrup.

Sonitpur District Magistrate Deba Kumar Mishra has promulgated the prohibitory orders with speedy impact.

Accordingly, meeting of 5 or extra folks in public locations, carrying of weapons, holding of conferences, demonstrations, processions and sloganeering, and use of loudspeakers have been prohibited.

“It is reported that rumours on social media have led to communal tension in various parts of the country,” he stated within the order.

On June 11, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had stated that the federal government is protecting a detailed watch on the regulation and order scenario in Assam following violence in a number of states over the controversial remarks towards Prophet Mohammad.

Protests erupted in a number of components of the nation over controversial remarks by suspended BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma and expelled chief Naveen Jindal on Prophet Mohammad.

The Congress, Assam Jatiya Parishad and AIUDF leaders have filed separate police complaints within the state towards Sharma and Jindal for his or her remarks.