Communal tension in Jharkhand over blasphamous Facebook post

HAZARIBAGH: Blasphemous post on Facebook sparked a large-scale violence in the BJP-ruled Jharkjhand’s Hazaribagh district forcing police to swung into action.

According to media reports, communal tension erupted in Jhanda chowk of Hazaribagh town on Thursday evening after a boy from the Hindu community had allegedly shared a blasphemous post on June 5 on Facebook.

Police force rushed to control the situation after people from the communities started pelting stones, resulting in injuries on both the sides. Few vehicles were also set on fire. In view of the violence, shopkeepers were forced to down their shutter.

People from the minority community went on to file a complaint regarding the blasphemous content allegedly uploaded on social networking site.

Police have registered a case of outraging religious feelings in connection with the posting on social networking website and taken up investigation.

“People from the Muslim community had lodged a complaint regarding the social media post. They had identified the person who had made such remarks. The person was from Hindu community. He, along with four others, were arrested and were booked for the deliberate act intended to outrage religious feeling under 295 A IPC,” said SP Anish Gupta, reported News Click.

“After the arrests were made, a few skirmishes were reported from other areas. Yesterday, people from the Muslim community had lodged a complaint regarding minor clashes that took place. While they were returning, there was an altercation at Jhanda chowk. People from both the communities started pelting stones. A few vehicles were set ablaze. Few people suffered minor injuries, they were immediately taken to the local hospital. Right now, the situation is under control. We are also looking into the matter,” added Gupta.

For past one year, Jharkhand has witnessed spurt in sporadic incidents of communal violence.

On 25th May 2018, around 20 Muslim families were forced to flee their homes in Koderma district as a Right wing goons brutally attacked Muslim families during the Iftaar (breaking of fast) time around 7:00 pm and forced them to flee from their homes. They assaulted several people including women and children. The mob also vandalised the masjid and assaulted the Muslims who were offering Maghrib prayer there and burnt the copies of Holy Quran.

ALSO READ: Jharkhand: mob attacks Muslims at the time of iftar; forced them to flee

On 17th April, in another village of the same Koderma district, a Muslim father of the bridegroom was brutally assaulted by a mob over suspicion of consumption of serving ‘banned meat’ at son’s wedding reception.

The violent went on rampage and ransacked over two dozen homes of his Muslim neighbors, several vehicles and a worship place.

ALSO READ: Jharkhand: Fringe group attacks Muslim on suspicion of serving cow meat