Amit Shah speaks to Governor on Bihar violence

NEW DELHI: Expressing concerns over the communal violence that erupted in Bihar, the Union home minister Amit Shah on Sunday spoke to governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar and took stock of the situation.

Following the communal unrest that rocked Sasaram and Bihar Sharif during Ram Navami festivities, the Union home ministry has decided to send additional paramilitary forces to the state to assist the administration in handling the situation arising out of the violence.

The additional forces will be sent following a request from the Bihar government. "The home minister spoke to the Bihar governor and took stock of the situation. The home minister expressed his concern over the violence in the state," the sources said.

The governor is believed to have apprised Mr Shah of the prevailing situation in the state.

The Nalanda police has so far arrested 77 people in connection with the communal violence in Bihar Sharif and it warned that strict action will be taken against miscreants and requested all to maintain peace and not to pay heed to rumors.

In Sasaram, the district administration ordered the imposition of prohibitory orders on Friday afternoon, which led to Mr Shah cancelling his proposed Sunday tour to the town. After the communal flare up, the district police on Sunday said that so far 32 people have been arrested.

The police conducted flag marches in the troubled areas and said that the raids to nab the rioters will continue.

Speaking on the situation at Sasaram, district magistrate Narendra Kunar said over 1,200 security personnel have been deployed in the town and the situation is under control.

Several vehicles, houses and shops were torched and many people were injured in the communal flare-ups that erupted during the Ram Navami processions in Sasaram and Bihar Sharif.

Soon after the communal unrest erupted, allegations and counter-allegations also started between the ruling JDU-RJD alliance and the principal Opposition party, the BJP.

Addressing a rally in Hisua in Nawada district, the Union home minister on Sunday tore into the Mr Kumar-led Mahagathbandhan government in Bihar for "failing to check" communal violence in Sasaram and Bihar Sharif. He asserted that rioters will be hung upside down if the BJP forms the government in the state in 2025.

"The people of the country have decided that Narendra Modi will become the Prime Minister for the third consecutive term. Once that happens, Mr Kumar will go back on his promise of handing over the mantle to his deputy Tejashwi Yadav as his dreams of becoming the PM will be shattered," Mr Shah said.

Since March 30, when communal clashes broke out during the Ram Navami festivities, tensions have continued to prevail in Bihar Sharif and Sasaram. Section 144 was imposed in Biharsharif after fresh clashes broke out on Saturday night.

The police have so far arrested 106 people in connection with the violence -- 26 from Sasaram and 80 from Bihar Sharif.

In Maharashtra, Sambajinagar police have arrested 28 accused and 50 others have been identified till now in connection with the Kiradpura violence case. Heavy police deployment has been made in the affected areas.

In West Bengal, Howrah's Shibpur and Kazipara areas, which witnessed clashes during a Ram Navami procession, are limping back to normalcy, a senior police officer said.

Markets were open and vehicles returned to the roads on Sunday, even as the prohibitory order was still in force, the police officer said.

Rapid Action Force personnel conducted route marches for area domination as the state CID officers continued their probe into Thursday's vandalism, the police officer said.

A decision to revoke the suspension of Internet services in and around the area will be taken after evaluating the situation, he added.