58 held in Jamshedpur for clash over religious flag ‘desecration’

The East Singhbhum police on Monday arrested 58 of the 119 accused named in an FIR registered in connection with the Sunday evening violence in Jamshedpur’s Kadma area over the alleged desecration of a Ram Navami flag.

The police said bricks were pelted and makeshift shops and a few vehicles were set ablaze by the mob after which they had detained a few people. Police said that there were also instances of firing during the violence, however, no one was injured.

According to the police, tension had been brewing in the area since Saturday night when members of a local organisation found a piece of meat rolled into a Ram Navami flag. Several Hindu organisations protested, demanding arrest of the culprits within 24 hours. Police registered an FIR under IPC sections 147 (rioting), 148 (rioting, armed with a deadly weapon) 149 (unlawful assembly) 307 (attempt to murder) and under sections of Arms Act and Public Safety Act.
Kadma police station in-charge Gaurav Kumar said, “We had registered an FIR into Sunday’s violence and we have arrested 58 people. We are conducting raids to arrest the remaining accused. As of now, the Internet remains suspended and we are reviewing the situation.”