Daijiworld Media Network - Jamshedpur
Jamshedpur, Apr 7: The Dhalbhumgarh area of Jamshedpur witnessed a surge in communal tension on Monday following a disturbing incident near a local temple. Allegations have surfaced that unidentified miscreants uprooted religious flags erected for Ram Navami celebrations near the Hanuman Vatika temple, situated at the block headquarters, and further desecrated the site by scattering banned meat.
The news of the incident spread swiftly on Monday morning, igniting immediate public outcry and protests. Hundreds of residents took to the streets, staging a blockade on National Highway-18 near Dhalbhumgarh starting at 9:00 am. The blockade persisted until 1:00 pm, leading to significant traffic congestion on both sides of the major thoroughfare.
As a direct consequence of the unrest, local markets in Dhalbhumgarh and Narsinghgarh were forced to shut down. Demonstrators voiced their anger through slogans, demanding swift and decisive action against the perpetrators.
Responding to the escalating situation, East Singhbhum (Jamshedpur) Rural Superintendent of Police (SP) Rishav Garg, along with Ghatsila Sub-Divisional Magistrate Sunil Chandra, Musabani Police Station Incharge Sandeep Bhagat, and other administrative officials, arrived at the scene in an attempt to pacify the agitated crowd.
Local residents expressed their frustration, claiming that such acts of sacrilege were not isolated occurrences and insisted on stringent measures against those deliberately targeting religious sentiments. They recalled a similar incident that transpired at the same temple a year prior, where the discovery of banned meat had triggered prolonged communal unrest in the area.
According to eyewitness accounts from the local community, a large Ram Navami procession had been organized on Sunday, during which numerous religious flags were installed in the vicinity of the temple. The procession concluded late in the evening without incident. However, on Monday morning, residents were dismayed to find the flags uprooted, banned meat scattered nearby, and several temple artifacts, including a bell, missing.
Locals strongly suspect that the desecration occurred during the night as a calculated attempt to disrupt the prevailing communal harmony in the region.
Rural SP Rishabh Garg assured the community that a specialized investigation cell has been constituted to thoroughly examine the incident from all possible angles. "Strict action will be taken after identifying those involved in this," he stated, vowing to bring the culprits to justice.