Jharkhand News : Tension gripped Jharkhand’s Rajrappa region after violence erupted during the immersion of a Saraswati idol in Lari village, disrupting normal life and turning the area into a security camp. Locals alleged that the insistence of a few individuals spoiled the peaceful atmosphere, resulting in arrests and a large-scale police operation.
According to reports, the idol had already reached the pond for immersion when a group allegedly demanded that it be taken back toward a religion-specific locality. When the police objected, the situation escalated and stone-pelting began on police personnel, triggering chaos. The clash soon intensified, leading to injuries among both police personnel and villagers.
Following the incident late Monday night, the village witnessed complete silence on Tuesday. Shops remained closed, daily activities came to a halt, and many households reportedly did not even light their stoves. Villagers were reluctant to speak on record, but several said the entire village was suffering because of the actions of a handful of troublemakers. They demanded that those actually responsible be punished, while innocent people should not be harassed.
Police have detained several people in connection with the incident, and raids are ongoing to trace others allegedly involved in the violence. Heavy security deployment has been made in and around the village to prevent further escalation.
Call for Action Against Stone Pelters
The incident occurred on the night of January 26 in Sukrigarha Lari village under Chitarpur block, where a clash broke out between villagers and police during idol immersion. On Tuesday, villagers met Chhotu Verma, district minister of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) in Ramgarh, and shared their accounts.
According to the villagers’ application, the immersion procession was initially peaceful, but they alleged that the administration was pressuring them to complete the process quickly. They also claimed that people from another village were present during the immersion. An argument reportedly broke out between the police and some outsiders, after which anti-social elements from the other village allegedly started stone-pelting, injuring both police personnel and locals.
Chhotu Verma demanded a fair and impartial investigation, stating that those actually involved in stone-pelting must be identified and punished strictly, while innocent villagers should not be victimised. He urged the administration to thoroughly probe the matter to bring out the truth and ensure that such incidents do not recur, maintaining social harmony in the region.
