Bihar: 1 killed, several hurt in Jehanabad communal clash

PATNA: A 22-year-old man was shot dead and another person was seriously injured during a communal flare-up on Friday in Jehanabad, police said. The town is on the boil after stones were pelted at a procession carrying an idol of Goddess Durga for immersion on Thursday.
According to the police, the firing took place at Jakarganj locality of district town Jehanabad early on Friday morning, killing the youth, who was from Aurangabad.The injured man has been admitted to Patna Medical College and Hospital where his condition is stated to be critical.
The death prompted fresh violence which left at least 10 more injured, including three policemen who tried to intervene. Clashes were reported from Gandhi Nagar, Jakarganj, Thakurbari, Ambedkar Nagar, Panchmahala and Mahalchak areas despite prohibitory orders clamped on Thursday under Section 144 of CrPC.
Confirming the death, IG (Magadh range) Paras Nath said patrolling has been intensified in sensitive areas of the district headquarters with additional forces deployed and internet services suspended as a precautionary measure.
Altogether 35 people from both communities have been arrested so far for vandalizing and looting shops. In all, 15 shops were either set on fire or damaged by people who went on a rampage after Thursday’s incident of stone pelting.
Senior administrative and police officials, including ADG (law &order) Amit Kumar, are in Jehanabad. “The situation is tense, but under control,” Jehanabad SP Maneesh said while DM Naveen Kumar was not available for comments.
Leader of opposition Tejashwi Prasad Yadav and AICC secretary Shakeel Ahmad Khan termed the Jehanabad incident unfortunate and appealed to members of both communities to maintain restraint and peace.
While Tejashwi cautioned the people not to be swayed by communal forces, the AICC general secretary and Kadwa MLA Khan appealed to CM Nitish Kumar to ensure stern action against the perpetrators.
Expressing concern over the rise in the incidents of violence in the country in general, Khan said the governments at both Centre and the state should take the responsibility for such violence and initiate steps to restore peace and communal harmony in the society.