SUBHASH MISHRA
Dhanbad, Oct 6: The members of a Puja Committee in Dhanbad district deserted the Durga idol in the middle of the road after an altercation with police over an immersion timing dispute in Jharia township around 12 km away from district headquarters on Wednesday late evening. The incident occurred around 11 PM on Wednesday.
Jharia Station Road Durga Puja Committee was going to immerse idols in Raja Talab. At Bata More, police stopped the procession saying that immersion was not allowed after 10 PM. But Puja Committee members insisted on the immersion saying that when police allowed trucks to ply at no entry time, they should also be permitted.
The heated arguments between members of the Puja Committee and security personnel turned into an altercation. Police allegedly resorted to a mild lathi charge to control the situation which triggered a stampede. Puja Committee members fled from the spot leaving the idol on road.
The police finally called Jharia Peace Committee members and got idols immersed in Raja Talab amidst heavy security at late night.
The Puja Committee claimed that 10 to 12 members of the immersion procession were injured in an unwanted police lathi charge followed by a stampede.
However, Sindri SDPO Abhishek Kumar denied that the Lathi charge has resorted. “Only arguments took place. If a report of lathi charge comes, the matter would be probed,” he said to media persons.
However, Puja Committee held the police responsible for the incident. One of the members Geeta Devi alleged that police without any reason created the hurdle on way to immersion and resorted the lathi charge.
“The immersion procession took out amidst police protection from Pandal. If the police had any objection over timing they should have stopped procession at Pandal rather on the way at Bata More,” said Geeta Devi.
