Religious flag's 'desecration' sparks violent clashes in Jamshedpur, Section 144 imposed

JAMSHEDPUR: After alleged desecration of a religious flag led to brick-batting and arson between two groups, prohibitory orders under Section 144 of CrPC have been imposed at Shastrinagar in Jharkhand's Jamshedpur.
Internet services have been suspended across steel city since 1am following communal clashes. Security forces on Monday conducted flag march in Kadma police station area to monitor the situation.
Two shops and an auto-rickshaw were set ablaze by the warring groups and the police fired tear gas shells to disperse the mob on Sunday evening, officials said.
"Prohibitory orders under Section 144 of CrPC were clamped in the area," sub-divisional officer (Dhalbhum), Piyush Sinha, said.

Tension had been brewing in the area since Saturday night when members of a local organisation found that a piece of meat was tagged to a Ram Navami flag, police said.
The situation turned violent on Sunday evening when a shop was gutted, leading to brick-batting from both sides.
A mob also set on fire an autorickshaw, forcing the police to fire tear gas shells. Two policemen also got injured in the incident.
SSP Prabhat Kumar said adequate police force has been deployed at Shastrinagar to maintain law and order.
"The situation is under control and the warring groups have been dispersed… We have also taken a few persons into custody," he said.
East Singhbhum district deputy commissioner Vijaya Jadhav said some anti-social elements are trying to disturb peace, and sought the cooperation of people to foil their plot.
SDM Sinha appealed to the fighting sections for peace.
(With inputs from agencies)
Watch Clash in Jamshedpur over ‘desecration’ of religious flag; Section 144 clamped