Source – telegraphindia.com
A procession of 4,000 people, including women, out in support of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act was attacked in Lohardaga on Thursday, prompting the police to clamp an indefinite curfew in the town.
Over 50 persons, including policemen, were injured in the attack on the procession organised by local Hindutva outfit Jai Sriram Samiti with permission from the administration.
The procession, starting from the Lalit Narayan stadium, was supposed to end at Kutchery Chowk. But around 12.15pm, when it reached Somar Bazaar, a predominantly minority settlement, people, many from rooftops, started pelting stones on the procession. Eyewitnesses said at least 20 vehicles and a couple of houses and shops were also torched.
“They set my jewellery shop on fire and attacked my house. In front of my eyes, they set as many as four bikes on fire,” said Manoj Soni, owner of Shobha Jewellers.
Attackers then fanned out to Lohardaga Sadar Hospital and Amla Toli Chowk areas. They pelted stones at Lohardaga Sadar Hospital. Stray bullets were also fired.
“Patients were screaming in fear,” a hospital employee said. “Somehow we managed to lock the main gate.”
People, including women, ran for shelter and frantically called up the police.
Lohardaga superintendent of police Priyadarshi Alok and deputy commissioner Akanksha Ranjan hit the streets to control the situation. Additional forces arrived from Simdega.
Police also fired teargas shells and bullets in the air to disperse the crowd.
Later in the afternoon, the district administration imposed indefinite curfew.
South Chotanagpur range deputy inspector-general of police A.V. Homkar said everything was being done to prevent the flare-up from snowballing. “Attackers had resorted to arson. Firefighting vehicles have been pressed to douse the fires. We are carrying out heavy patrolling,” he said.
Unconfirmed sources said that the mob even snatched the gun of a cop.
A bodyguard of the Lohardaga SP was heard saying that stones pelted from near the site of worship left him injured.
An employee of sadar hospital said not only was there heavy stone pelting, gunshots were also fired at the hospital. “Patients were screaming in fear,” he said. “Somehow we managed to lock the main gate of the hospital.”
Lohardaga civil surgeon Dr Vijay Kumar said patients and employees were safe. “As many as 25 injured persons were treated here (sadar hospital) and discharged. One seriously injured person has been referred to RIMS in Ranchi,” he said.
