Curfew relaxed for 3 hours in Kishanganj

Kishanganj, Oct 8: A day after imposing curfew for 48 hours at Kishanganj following widespread protests after a slaughtered animal was found near a place of worship, the district administration today relaxed the prohibitory orders for three hours between 3 PM and 6 PM.

District Magistrate Animesh Kumar Parashar said a peace march would be taken out from the district collectorate at 3.30 PM in which leaders of various political parties and district police and civil officials would take part urging the people to maintain law and order and ensure social harmony.

Superintendent of Police Deepak Barnwal said medical services have been restored for the benefit of the sick people even as he thanked the people for maintaining peace in the wake of tension gripping the town after the slaughtered animal was found two days ago.

Barnwal said an FIR has been lodged in this connection and seven suspects were taken into custody. Earlier in the day, four MPs of the Seemanchal districts--Rajesh Ranjan alias Pappu Yadav (RJD), his wife Ranjit Ranjan (Congress), Maulana Asrarul Haque Qasmi (Congress) and Santosh Kushwaha (JD-U) visited Kishanganj town and appealed to the people to maintain peace and harmony.

Addressing a press conference at Qasmi's residence, the MPs accused BJP of creating tension in the town in order to bring disrepute to the JD(U) government in Bihar. They asked the district administration to sternly deal with those responsible for triggering tension in the town.

Rajesh Ranjan spoke to Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi and demanded transfer of the Kishanganj SP on the charge of 'dereliction of duty'. He also demanded a CBI probe into the matter.

Meanwhile, a police vehicle met with an accident in Pathmari area last night during petrolling in which six policemen sustained injuries, the SP said, adding that an injured policeman's magazine was stolen by unidentified men.

The injured policemen were hospitalised and efforts were on to recover the stolen magazine with the help of a sniffer dog of the Seema Suraksha Bal (SSB), he said.

PTI