By IANS,
Ranchi : A court-authorised anti-encroachment drive in this Jharkhand capital turned ugly when hundreds of people whose illegal shanties were being demolished clashed with police, leading to one death and injuries to 17 people. Union Minister Subodh Kant Sahay, MP from Ranchi, was arrested for protesting the drive.
“One person was killed, and many were injured in clashes between security men and protesters. Seven policemen were also injured in the clashes,” G.S. Rath, Jharkhand director general police, told IANS.
In many places in the city, police and protesters clashed. Police resorted to firing rubber bullets on the crowd. Three people sustained bullet injuries and one of them died in hospital. Unconfirmed reports said another injured person also has died.
On Tuesday, the district administration began to remove encroachments in Islamnagar and Alinagar of Ranchi on the directive of the Jharkhand High Court. In the last two weeks more than 3,000 shops, houses and other illegal buildings have been either demolished or been sealed.
Ranchi witnessed violence as the protesters blocked roads at many places by setting bus and truck tyres on fire. The protesters blocked main roads and other important roads and also hurled stones at passersby and police.
Sahay along with hundreds of Congress workers, with black ribbons tied across their mouths, staged a sit-in near Karbala Chowk. Police arrested Sahay and sent him to a camp jail.
Before his arrest, Sahay told reporters: “It is the Arjun Munda government’s move to remove colonies citing the court order. The court has not ordered any demolition.”
“The police adopted repressive measures despite our protesting peacefully,” Jharkhand Congress spokesperson Shailesh Sinha told IANS.
To control the situation, Ranchi district administration has imposed prohibitory orders, banning the gathering of five or more people in the city.
Meanwhile, the Jharkhand High Court Tuesday directed the state government to complete the anti-encroachment drive and submit the detailed report.