Ranchi, Sept. 20: Eight persons were arrested for vandalising houses and inciting communal tension in McCluskieganj and Khelari areas on the outskirts of Ranchi, where members of a community tried to force closure of shops and block traffic movement this morning.

A large contingent of paramilitary personnel and Rapid Action Force has been deployed in the area after chief minister Raghubar Das directed senior officials to rein in trouble-mongers with an iron hand.

Sources said that some people allegedly found burnt pages of a religious text at a burial ground located between Shantinagar in McCluskieganj and Ramnagar in Khelari on Friday while returning from a football match. They alleged that hoodlums belonging to a different community had torched the pages of the holy book.

Further trouble broke out when some people, armed with sticks, iron rods and other lethal weapons, vandalised the houses of at least four persons in Shantinagar and Ramnagar last evening, accusing them of burning the holy book.

They also tried to force closure of the local market and block traffic that saw members of the other community come out on the streets, sparking a communal flare-up.

The administration, however, promptly swung into action and rushed additional forces to the area. Senior administrative and police officers camped in the area last night to monitor the situation.

However, some people again tried to force traders to down their shutters and block roads this morning, fuelling the tension. But police arrested eight persons to avert any major flare-up.

"Police have been deployed in the area. We facilitated a peace committee meeting and urged members of both communities to not get misguided by rogue elements. The situation is under control," said DGP D.K. Pandey.

"Who burnt the religious text and how the pages reached the burial ground are being investigated. I have been informed that a few arrests have been made. Details are awaited," he added.

SP (rural) Raj Kumar Lakra, who is camping in the area, said that eight persons had been arrested so far. "Police are keeping tabs on the situation and won't allow the situation to go out of control," he added.