Prohibitory orders under Section 144 of CrPC are in force at Shastrinagar in Jharkhand’s Jamshedpur, after alleged desecration of a religious flag led to brick-batting and arson between two groups, officials said.

Two shops and an auto-rickshaw were set ablaze by the warring groups and the police fired tear gas shells to disperse the mob on Sunday evening, they said.

“Prohibitory Orders under Section 144 of CrPC were clamped in the area,” Sub-Divisional Officer (Dhalbhum), Piyush Sinha, said.

Tension had been brewing in the area since Saturday night when members of a local organisation found that a piece of meat was tagged to a Ram Navami flag, police said.

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The situation turned violent on Sunday evening when a shop was gutted, leading to brick-batting from both sides.

A mob also set on fire an autorickshaw, forcing the police to fire tear gas shells.

SSP Prabhat Kumar said adequate police force has been deployed at Shastrinagar to maintain law and order.

“The situation is under control and the warring groups have been dispersed… We have also taken a few persons into custody,” he said. .

East Singhbhum District Deputy Commissioner Vijaya Jadhav said some anti-social elements are trying to disturb peace, and sought the cooperation of people to foil their plot.
“We have been keeping strict vigil on the situation and deployed adequate police force, a Quick Response Team, a Magistrate, Rapid Action Force personnel and other anti-riot resources to maintain law and order,” she said in a statement.

The deputy commissioner said stringent action will be initiated against those who indulged in anti-social activities to disturb communal harmony.

She also urged the people not to pay heed to canards or share inflammatory posts on social media.
Apart from the DC, Senior Superintendent of Police Prabhat Kumar, Superintendent of Police (City) K Vijay Shankar and Sub-Divisional Officer (Dhalbhum) Piyush are camping in the area.