BJP Demands CBI inquiry or HC Judge-led Probe into Jamshedpur Violence; Calls for Release of Innocent Party Workers

BJP delegation urges Governor to order CBI or High Court Judge-led probe into Jamshedpur violence; calls for release of innocent BJP, VHP workers arrested by police.

JAMSHEDPUR – A 10-member delegation of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) met with the Governor to discuss the recent communal violence in Shastri Nagar, Kadma, Jamshedpur.

The delegation, led by former State President Dineshanand Goswami, included prominent figures such as State General Secretary Dr. Pradeep Verma, former Home Secretary JB Tubid, and former IG Laxman Prasad Singh.

The BJP delegation submitted a memorandum urging an investigation into the violence by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) or a High Court judge.

The delegation also requested the release of innocent BJP and Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) workers who were arrested following the violence.

According to the BJP memorandum, the violence erupted on April 9, 2023, when miscreants pelted stones at Jatadhari Shiva temple in Shastri Nagar, Kadma, Jamshedpur, after returning from an Iftar party.

It says that the incident was preceded by tension in the area, as meat was found hanging near a Mahavir flag near the temple, sparking anger and demands for action from the temple committee.

The delegation claimed that the temple committee requested the administration to make arrests, install CCTV cameras, and remove illegally encroached meat shops near the temple.

Despite assurances from the administration, violence ensued when miscreants attacked the temple during a Hanuman Chalisa recitation, the delegation claimed.

It said the police intervened and dispersed the gathering, while another group of individuals threw stones at the temple after attending an Iftar party nearby.

The delegation told the Governor that the police were also targeted and injured during the confrontation, which continued until midnight.

The BJP delegation alleges that the violence was premeditated and the question is why the intelligence department was not aware of the conspiracy.

The delegation claimed that Several BJP, VHP, and Hindu leaders were arrested following the incident, prompting protests and a one-day strike by Jamshedpur court advocates.

The BJP delegation demanded a thorough investigation by the CBI or a High Court judge into the communal violence and the release of all innocent party workers and leaders arrested in connection with the incident.

Earlier, a five-member committee was formed under the guidance of BJP State President and MP Deepak Prakash, which submitted an inquiry report on the incident to the state President. The committee members included Dr. Dineshanand Goswami, the former state president, Mr. Bidyut Baran Mahato, MP, Mr. J.B. Tubid, the former Home Secretary, Mr. Laxman Prasad Singh, former IG, and Mr. Laxman Tudu, the former MLA.