Ranchi, April 12: Window panes were reduced to rubble and three policeman sustained injuries when an unruly mob ransacked the Bariatu police station demanding the arrest of noted anaesthetist and medical director of Hill View Nursing Home, Dr Vinod Priya (59), this morning.
The doctor has been held as an accused in the suicide case of his 15-year old domestic help, Neetu Kumari.
The incident took place at 10 am when only six constables were present at the police station while the other 15 had either not turned or were assigned for bank security duty in the area.
Office-in-charge Kanchan Kumar, who was attending a meeting with a senior police superintendent, rushed to the spot immediately on hearing news of the ransack.
In about 20 minutes Kumar had made arrangements for a re-enforcement. A sufficient number of police officials reached the spot in a riot-control vehicle and took charge of the situation using mild force.
“The mob was dispersed within half an hour and the police station was secured from further damage,” Kumar explained. Later, the police arrested five persons including a woman, namely — Shanti Devi, Lal Chand Nayak, Krishna Prasad, Sukra Nayak and Kailash Lal Thakur, all between 25 and 40 years.
Devi was identified as Neetu’s maternal aunt while Sukra Nayak as her maternal uncle. The other three accompanying them were their friends. They had come from Patra Toli under the Dhurwa police station, Neetu’s native village, while few were from Sindwar Toli under the Bariatu police station.
“All of them have been kept in custody at Birsa Munda Central Jail. They have been booked under nine sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) including rioting, unlawful assembly, obstructing public servant in discharge of public function, attempt to murder and breach of peace,” said an official of the Bariatu police station.
Incidentally, the mob did not know that an FIR has been lodged against the doctor and investigations are on.
Manoj Minz, a local resident and an eyewitness to the incident, said the mob was apparently used by some anti-social elements to target the police. He added that the police resolved to lathicharge to get the situation under control.
