Patna, Jun 10 (IANS): Bihar minister Nitin Navin had a narrow escape in Ranchi after a group of protestors pelted stones at his convoy on Friday afternoon.

Minister for road construction in the Nitish Kumar government, Navin reached Ranchi on Friday afternoon. His convoy was intercepted by protestors at Ranchi's Albert Ekka Chowk. The local police managed to rescue his convoy after firing several rounds at the protestors.

Navin was in Patna on Friday morning and recorded his statement in a criminal defamation case filed by BJP Rajya Sabha MP Sushil Modi against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in the MLA-MLC court of Patna. After the court proceedings, he took a flight to Ranchi for some official work.

Following former BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma's derogatory statement on the Prophet, a large number of people from the Muslim community came out on the streets of Ranchi after offering Friday prayers in the mosques. While they were protesting on the roads of the Daily market adjoining Albert Ekka Chowk, the convoy of Nitin Navin reached the Chowk. Seeing him, the protestors pelted stones at his convoy, damaging his vehicle. The protestors also waved black flags.

The Ranchi administration has now imposed curfew in the violence affected areas.

Sources said that Surendra Kumar Jha, the SSP of Ranchi and Awadesh Thakur, SHO of Daily market police station and at least 3 more police personnel sustained injuries in the clash.

Protests were also held in Bihar's Nawada and Arrah on Friday afternoon.