Vehicles set on fire by protesters in Chhapra on Monday. Picture by Rakesh K. Singh

Patna/Chhapra, Oct. 6: A curfew-like situation prevailed in Chhapra town in Saran district following violent clashes between a section of residents and security personnel during immersion of idols of Durga and other deities early this morning.

The police had to resort to baton charge and lob tear gas shells to disperse the protesters, who pelted them with stones and indulged in arson. At least six vehicles and a JCB machine (meant for construction-related work) parked on the Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited premises and its adjoining buildings were torched.

The gravity of the situation could be gauged from the fact that two senior officials, Pratyaya Amrit and Gupteshwar Pandey, flew to Chhapra to take stock. Amrit is the chairman-cum-managing director of Bihar State Power (Holding) Company Limited, while Pandey is posted as the additional director-general of police (headquarters).

Earlier, chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi reviewed the law and order situation at a meeting with senior police officials in the secretariat. Sources said the chief minister had asked the officials to take stern action against the troublemakers who damaged public property worth crores.

Amrit and Pandey also held meetings with the local police and administrative officials apart from the members of the peace committees and ensured the immersion of the idols at the designated Sarovar Ghat. Six companies of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) were also deployed in the trouble-torn town to contain the situation. Trouble began around 4am, when the members of three Puja committees took out processions from Gudari Bazaar under the jurisdiction of Bhagwan Bazaar police station.

Sources said the public address system used for playing the particular songs was seized by the police on the instructions of district magistrate Kundan Kumar. Infuriated over the police action, the mob started throwing stones and went on the rampage. Shops and business establishments were ransacked.

The entire stretch between Town police station and Sahebganj bore testimony to the vandalism.

Eyewitnesses said Special Auxiliary Police (SAP) personnel suffered serious injuries in the stone pelting.

Saran deputy inspector-general (DIG) of police Vinod Kumar said all Puja committees except the three from Gudari Bazaar had immersed their idols on October 5. However, the members of the three committees were adamant on doing the job on Monday morning, which hinted at ulterior motives. “All senior police officers have been asked to camp at Chhapra till normality is restored in the town,” said director general of police P.K. Thakur.