At least two people were killed and more than one dozen are critically injured after cops resorted to firing gunshots and lathicharge in Ranchi to disperse the protests demonstrated by Muslims demanding the arrest of now suspended Bhartiya Janata Party spokesperson Nupur Sharma for spewing blasphemous comments on Prophet Mohammad in a TV news debate.
The peaceful protest was gathered at Main Road near Daily Market on Friday and slipped out of control after police attempted to lathicharge to disperse the crowd and some people threw stones to defend themselves.
The injured people were taken to nearby Anjuman Hospital where they are being treated. At least 10 people have sustained serious injuries and two people are declared dead after the police firing.
The two deceased are identified as Mudassir and Sahil. After police action, Mudassir was on a ventilator with an injury to the head and succumbed to death late at night on Friday, after fighting hours for his life.
The other person Sahil who was injured in violence during protests took his last breath in Ranchi Hospital (RIMS).
Two protests were called in the city after Friday prayers, one gathering at Doranda Rasladar Baba’s shrine which turned into a foot march from Mazhar to Rajendra Chowk and the second near Iqra Masjid which was supposed to form a Human Chain.
While the human chain was peacefully marching towards Daily Market, the alleged stone-pelting took place near Hanuman Mandir, near the market.
According to the protestors, they only went to peacefully register their protest by forming a human chain and pelting has nothing to do with them.
It is being alleged that some miscreants may have entered the peaceful protests and pelted stones at Hanuman Mandir to deliberately spiral and provoke the situation.
At this point where pelting took place, police resorted to the lathi charge and then opened fire.
In a statement, Chief Minister of Jharkhand Hemant Soren appealed for peace stating that the situation is grim and strict action will be taken against fringe and disturbing elements.
DIG Anish Gupta said that the situation is under control and the police are constantly trying to normalize the situation by maintaining law and order in the area.
Senior Superintendent of Police Surendra Kumar Jha has also sustained injuries while controlling the crowd.
Ever since Nupur Sharma had spewed hateful comments against Prophet Mohammad, a massive outrage can be seen across the country and among several Muslim nations. Calls for her arrest are the basic demand of the protesting Muslims.
The situation is under control with the curfew being imposed in the city.
The area is surrounded by heavy police deployment to tackle any untoward situation.
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Ghazala Ahmad is the Delhi Correspondent for The Cognate.
