Hoodlums torched a motor repair shop in Bhuiyandih Chowk, Sitaramdera police station area, in the wee hours of Thursday, a stray incident in an otherwise calm city under vigil by paramilitary, police and district administration teams.

Belonging to Md Jackey, a Muslim Bustee resident in Bhuiyandih, the motor repair shop was set ablaze around 1.30am. Touching the shop, a tea stall owned by one Kishan Kumar was also engulfed in flames.

Police quickly summoned a fire tender, which fought the blaze till 2am. Though the motor repair shop was fully charred and the tea stall partially damaged, the fire was stopped from spreading to the neighbourhood.

Sitaramdera OC Dayanand Kumar confirmed the arson at 1.30am. "The motor repair shop owned by Md Jackey at Bhuiyandih Chowk was set on fire by some people wanting to incite trouble at 1.30am today. We immediately rushed to the spot and pressed a fire tender to control the situation," OC Kumar said.

"Jackey is a resident of Muslim Bustee. We are trying to find out the people involved in the arson so that necessary action is taken against them," the OC added.

Around 11am, a convoy of district police and Rapid Action Force jawans conducted a flag march in Bhuiyandih, Sitaramdera, where the arson took place, as well as in Mango, the genesis of the flare-up that occurred on Monday night, as well as Bistupur, Sakchi and Jugsalai, Golmuri and Sidhgora.

DSP (composite control room) J. Kerketta said the flag march was carried out to instill confidence among people living in sensitive areas.

Police in adjoining Seraikela-Kharsawan also organised a peace committee meeting at Adityapur thana on Thursday morning as a precaution against flare-up. Seraikela subdivisional police officer K.B. Raman talked to members of different communities about the need to maintain social harmony. Confirming the news, Seraikela-Kharsawan SP Indrajeet Mahatha said he arranged a peace committee at Kapali thana outpost on Wednesday, too.