Bihar: Villagers clash with police over removal of shrine, 12 injured

Bhagalpur(Bihar), Mar 4: A clash broke out between police and a mob of villagers over removal of a shrine in Naya Tola Olpura village in the district following which 12 people, including six policemen, were injured, police said today.

Bhagalpur Additional Superintendent of Police Niraj Kumar Singh said the mob was protesting against removal of a shrine dedicated to Goddess Saraswati and built on a piece of land belonging to another community at Naya Tola Olpura village last night.

The clash took place when police stepped in. The injured, including the six policemen were admitted to the sub-divisional hospital at Kahalgaon from where all of them were discharged after the first-aid, he said.

Police has lodged an FIR against 22 people and over 100 unidentified others. Later, one of the accused was arrested, Singh said.

A magistrate and a posse of policemen have been deployed in the village in view of the prevailing tension there, he said, adding that District Magistrate Virendra Kumar and Senior Superintendent of Police Vivek Kumar have rushed to monitor the situation.

Police have meanwhile dismantled the shrine and seized the bricks and other construction materials to the police station, the ASP said.

PTI