Prohibitory orders were imposed in parts of Ranchi city after a protest erupted against ex-BJP-spokespersons Nupur Sharma and Naveen Jindal for their blasphemous remarks against Prophet Muhammad.
Internet services have been snapped in Ranchi from 7 pm on Friday to 6 am on Saturday.
Police fired in the air besides resorted to lathi-charge to control the large gathering that took to the road after Friday prayers in a mosque located close by.
However, reports from the ground of police brutality against the protestors have also emerged which bear proof of the violence.
16-year-old allegedly shot at
A video has taken over social media in which a bleeding man can be seen being carried by a group of protestors with one select protestor shouting “Marr gaya hain, bhai. (He is dead, brother.) It is reported that the alleged victim was a 16-year-old boy named Mudassir who was shot at by a Hindutva mob from a nearby Kali temple.
However, Siasat.com was unable to verify the veracity of the video at the time of writing this article.
Climate of the city
Prohibitory orders under Section 144 CrPC, (prohibiting gathering of five or more people) has been imposed in an around the affected area, the official said.
According to police officers, the protest has been continuing since morning and picked up tempo post-Friday prayers. Many shops and establishments kept their shutters down in protest against the remarks.
The protestors raised slogans demanding the immediate arrest of Sharma.
“More than 1,100 shops in the market were shut since morning in protest against the remarks of Nupur Sharma and Naveen Jindal. We demand their immediate arrest,” New Daily Market Traders Welfare Association President Haji Md Hasim told PTI.
Hasim said they wanted a peaceful procession but the police didn’t give permission.
In Hazaribag, soon after Friday prayers, some groups tried to take out a protest march through the town but were prevented by the police personnel already deployed at the strategic points of the town, said Superintendent of Police, Manoj Ratan Chothe.
