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| A torched police jeep at Akbarpur in Rohtas district on Tuesday. Picture by Sanjay Choudhary |
Patna, July 8: At least two persons were killed and seven others were injured after police opened fire to disperse a mob today at Akbarpur in Rohtas, around 210km southwest of the city.
Two rifles and 50 rounds of ammunition were allegedly snatched from the police.
The mob was protesting against assault on Ajay Gupta, a resident arrested on Monday for uploading objectionable comments on a social networking site. Two of the injured have been referred to Anugrah Narayan Medical College and Hospital, Gaya. The trouble started on Monday, when a resident of Akbarpur lodged a complaint against one Ajay Gupta for uploading objectionable comments on the social networking site and later sending text message to the complainant. Gupta was allegedly beaten up in police custody.
This morning, a group of residents staged a dharna and blocked traffic on Dehri-Yadunathpur road against alleged police high-handedness. The men-in-uniform were pelted with stones when the former arrived on the spot and tried to remove the blockade. The police, however, had to make a hasty retreat as the protesters outnumbered them.
The protesters were adamant on the suspension of Rohtas police station house officer (SHO) M.K. Jaiswal, who was allegedly involved in the assault on Ajay.
The police had to face the wrath of the protesters, who were not in a mood to relent. Eyewitnesses said initially the police fired in the air to quell the rioting mob but the latter was adamant on their demand. Subsequently, the police opened fire leading to injuries to nine persons. Two of them later succumbed to their injuries at the hospital.
Deputy inspector-general (Shahabad range) Umashankar Sudhanshu confirmed the death of two persons in police firing and injuries to seven. The deceased were identified as Upendra Kushwaha, 26, a resident of Chenari and Pradip Paswan, 21, a native of Sundarganj in Rohtas.
The deputy inspector-general (DIG), who is camping at the site, said two self-loading rifles and 50 rounds of ammunition were snatched from the policemen by the rioters.
Sudhanshu said two companies of Rapid Action Force and personnel of the Bihar Military Police and Special Auxiliary Police have been deployed in trouble-torn Rohtas block headquarters.
Chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi denied the communal violence. “It was triggered by rumours of an SMS. Two persons were arrested yesterday. This morning, a mob surrounded the police station against the arrest of one person and resorted to violence, burning a police jeep. The police had to open fire in self-defence owing to which two persons died. I will order a probe into the incident after normalcy is restored,” he said.
The JDU MLA from Karakat, Rajeshwar Raj, has demanded from the government adequate compensation to the next of kin of the deceased and proper treatment of the injured. “The officer responsible for assault on Ajay Gupta in police custody should also be punished,” he said.
Rohtas superintendent of police Chandan Kumar Kushwaha described the situation as peaceful and under control. “The security personnel staged flag marches in trouble-torn areas to instil confidence among the people,” he added.