As many as 19 people were arrested, including JMM leader Champai Soren's son-in-law, for ransacking a cellphone service centre because it couldn't repair a phone belonging to the former minister's daughter.

Around 50 youths, armed with bows and arrows and other "lethal" weapons, swooped in on the Samsung service centre at Bistupur around 11.30am and smashed glass panels, overturned furniture and damaged computers, alleged owner Raghubir Singh.

Staff and customers were terrified when some of the men even started shooting arrows while they were inside the service centre. They stopped only when policemen from the Bistupur thana arrived after Singh called them up in desperation. Most of the attackers managed to flee in the ensuing chaos, leaving behind their cars. Police managed to nab 19 of them, including Champai Soren's son-in-law Ajay Sharma. Three cars used by the attackers have been seized.

The floor of the service centre was dotted with blood stains, apparently from injuries sustained by the attackers from broken glass.

At least two staff members of the service centre were also injured.

DSP (crime control) Jacinta Karketta said the violence was the result of a dispute over repairing a cellphone belonging to Soren's daughter.

"Some parts of the cellphone were apparently replaced with those of another set, Ajay Sharma alleged. He (Ajay) then gathered JMM supporters who came and ransacked the service centre," she told The Telegraph.

Owner Raghubir Singh provided details. He claimed the JMM leader's daughter had given a cellphone for repair a couple of weeks ago. But, but it was beyond repair as it had been tampered with, possibly by an unauthorised service centre or agent.

"We informed her about our inability to repair the cellphone several times, but she did not come to pick up her damaged set. This morning (Wednesday), she came with her husband around 10.30am and asked for her cellphone. They started arguing, alleging we did not repair the set intentionally, which led to an altercation," Singh said.

Then, Ajay Sharma and his wife left, said Singh. But by 11.30am, around 50 youths stormed the service centre and began ransacking it with a vengeance.

"We have 10 staff members, half of them women. The attackers did not spare our lady staff. Somehow, I managed to lead them out to a safe place while the ransacking continued," Singh said.

As per preliminary estimates, Singh said the damage would cost him at least Rs 5lakh to mend. It would take at a least a week to repair the shop and resume business.