RAJ KUMAR
Ranchi, Oct 10: Five youths belonging to a primitive tribe were beaten black and blue after a controversy over taking a picture of idol of Goddess Durga.
The incident took place on October 6 at Palhe, a village about 250 km from the Jharkhand capital under Chiniya police station area of Garhwa district. The matter was reported to police on Sunday and it came in public domain today.
A resident of the locality informed this saying that the act was committed by a group of villagers under the leadership of Mukhiya Rameshwar Singh.
“Youths were assaulted with their hands tied with towels,” the villager said.
Explaining the circumstances under which the incident took place, the villager said: “On Vijyadashmi, Vinod Korwa was taking photographs of the idol of Maa Durga. Some people standing there pushed him out of the worship pavilion by saying that he belongs to the Korwa caste. When youths of the same community came to know about the incident they turned up at the pavilion for the rescue of Vinod but they were also beaten saying that their touch will desecrate the idol. A day after the incident they were again called by Mukhiya and beaten. Their heads were shaved and their videos prepared,” the villager said.
“They youths were so terrified by the incident that they could not muster their courage to register an FIR in this connection. When the matter spread, finally the matter was reported on Sunday,” the villager added.
Confirming the incident, Sudarshan of SDPO Ranka said that a case has been registered against eight people and the police are conducting raids to arrest them. He said the incident had taken place during immersion of the idol.
Police station in-charge Virendra Hansda said that on the application of the victim, an FIR has been registered against eight people, including Mukhiya Rameshwar Singh, against them under sections 323, 325, 341, 504, 506 of the Indian Penal Code and the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Act. The station in-charge also told that the incident is of October 6 only but due to the fear of the accused, they could not reach on time to register the FIR.
