Ahead of the assembly state elections in the state, Bihar was convulsed with a horrifying episode of violence when Durga Procession devotees were mercilessly attacked by the police personnel in the Munger district. The devotees were charged with batons and shots were fired at them, claiming the life of one 18-year-old Hindu boy. Now, a CISF report from a local unit to police headquarters says that the first shot was fired by the police on the attendees of the Durga Puja procession ceremony.
#BREAKING | Big twist in Munger probe: Report sent by the local unit to Police HQ.
The report claims that the first shot was fired by the police.@Arunima24 with details.
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The CISF report, which was issued on October 27, a day after the incident, said that at the request of Munger Kotwali police station, a detachment of CISF troops was sent to the district school for the protection of the Durga immersion procession ceremony. The report mentions that the phalanx of troops sent by CISF that contained 20 personnel was divided into two groups of 10 each. One of the groups was posted along with SSB and Bihar Police personnel at Deendayal Upadhyay Chowk, Munger.
The report claims that the dispute between the devotees and police began at around 11:45 pm on the night of October 26, 2020. It states that some people started pelting stones on police and security forces after which the Munger Police opened the first fire.
The report says that CISF head constable M Gangaiah fired 13 rounds of bullets from his INSAS rifle. The firing by the personnel dispersed the crowd following which the personnel of CISF, SSB and local police returned to their camp.
It is pertinent to note here that the video which had gone viral on social media showed devotees crouched, trying to protect the Durga Man murti, while the police were mercilessly showering lathis on them. Presumably, the stone pelting started after this ‘dispute’ that led to the police showering lathis on the devotees.
CISF report punctures the claims made by SP Munger Lipi Singh about violence in Munger
The report is in stark contrast to what the SP Munger Lipi Singh had claimed a few days ago while justifying the police action against the Durga Puja attendees. Singh had alleged that one of the members of the crowd opened fire which led to the death of the 18-year-old devotee. She had also claimed that it was the stone pelting from the people that had provoked police to take action against them.
Several videos of the incident had gone viral on the internet, raising a question on the police conduct against devotees indulging in the immersion ceremony of Goddess Durga. In the videos that are doing the rounds on social media websites, devotees were seen peacefully carrying Goddess Durga for the immersion ceremony when a bunch of police personnel rain lathis on them. Terrified that the assault might defile Goddess Durga’s idol, devotees scramble to surround the idol of Goddess Durga, presumably to protect her from the police onslaught.
Source : OpIndia
18-year-old dead as police open fire at Durga Puja Visarjan procession in Munger
October 27, 2020
Tension continues to grip Munger town and the surrounding areas in Bihar after violence was heaped at a Hindu procession for Durga idol immersion. An 18-year-old youth has reportedly been killed and several others injured in the firing that took place on the intervening night of Monday and Tuesday. 20 policemen including SHOs of Sangarmpur, Kotwali, Kasim Bazar, Basudeopur police stations were also injured in the ensuing violence. The injured persons have been admitted to the Sadar hospital here.
The Munger violence during Durga Puja Visarjan
The violence, as per reports, broke out after Kotwali police asked Hindus not to delay the idol immersion procession of Shadipur Badi Durga. Traditionally, the idols are immersed after three days of Vijayadashami but this time, in view of the first phase of Assembly polls in the state on Wednesday, the administration had insisted on the immersion by 5 am on Tuesday.
Durga puja organizers, as instructed, had taken out the procession allegedly with DJs close to midnight as they headed for the immersion. The situation turned ugly around 11.50 pm when police officials used brutal force on Hindus going for Durga Puja Visarjan.
The police reportedly unilaterally beat up four persons who were carrying idols on their shoulders. This sparked off a protest which led to the ensuing violence.
While the police did lathi-charge against the Hindus, the police have claimed that the participants of the procession allegedly also pelted stones. However, eyewitnesses revealed that the police opened fire at the procession thereafter and that tear gas shells were also used.
While the videos show how Hindus were brutally beaten up by the police, the police have alleged that the participants of the procession pelted stones and used firearms. According to reports, the police have detained a hundred people in connection with the incident. While the locals alleged that the police excess led to the clash, the police have claimed that twelve rounds were fired from the crowd which led the police to retaliate.
“The mob pelted stones and opened fire on police which led to the death of one person and injured 27 people including 20 policemen,” Munger’s superintendent of police Lipi Singh said.
Munger’s district magistrate Rajesh Meena and superintendent of police Lipi Singh had rushed to the spot and remained at the site of the clash till 3 am until the situation was brought completely under control. A heavy police force has been deployed in Deen Dayal Chowk and the surrounding areas after the incident. SP Lipi Singh has said that the situation has been brought under control.
Source : OpIndia
