Mob fired 60 rounds…had planned to kill cops: FIR on Ranchi violence
* “Miscreants had planned to attack the temple to instigate riots on religious lines”
* “Miscreants planned to kill police (personnel), threw stones at them, attempted to snatch their firearms and fired 60-80 rounds bullets”
* “Police fired five rounds of tear gas and several rounds in the air to disperse the crowd”
* “Police carried out a search after the situation was controlled, but no one was found injured.”
These are some facts gleaned from five FIRs filed by the state at two Ranchi police stations on the June 10 violence.
Two persons — Mudassir, 15, and Sahil, 21 — were killed from bullet injuries, allegedly received in police firing. Eight others, including a policeman, sustained bullet injuries and are currently being treated at Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences, Ranchi.
The main FIR is based on the complaint of Circle Officer Amit Kumar Bhagat, who stated he was out on patrol on June 10 and saw that a protest had started after 2 pm. The FIR quoted Bhagat that the rally was taken out without permission and the crowd soon became aggressive. It said police tried to stop them but the crowd of 8,000 to 10,000 people threw stones and gathered near Hanuman Mandir. They “targeted police and attacked [them] with stones”, the FIR mentions.
The case has been registered at Daily Market police station under various IPC Sections, including for rioting, attempt to murder, assault on public servant, and acts intended to outrage religious feelings; Arms Act; and Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act.
Police had said they registered a total 25 FIRs against 22 people. The Indian Express accessed 22 of these 25 FIRs to get the details.
The FIR said: “Upadraviyon dwara poorva niyojit yojna anusar main road sthit Hanuman Mandir ko bhi lakshit kar dharmik danga failane ke uddesya se lagataar patharbazi ki jaane lagi. (In a planned manner, miscreants wanted to target the Hanuman Temple to instigate religious riots and continued stone-pelting).” The crowd had also attacked police or government as well as private vehicles.
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According to the FIR, the mob broke the police blockade in an “attempt to climb on the temple”.
“Is kram mein ugra bheed evam upadrawiyon dwara police bal par jaan maarne ki niyat se lagataar kai round firing bhi ki gayi…. Unmaadi bheed mein shamil kai navyuvakdyuti mein karyarat police karmiyon ko pakad kar unke sarkari hathiyaar chheennne ka prayas bhi kiya gaya (In this process, the mob and the miscreants fired on the police in an attempt to kill them…many in the crowd even tried to snatch weapons of police personnel),” the FIR stated.
The FIR stated that minor force was used but it did not deter the mob. It said attempts by even the Deputy Commissioner and the Senior Superintendent of Police to talk to the protesters and pacify them yielded no results. “…they started firing on police,” the FIR stated.
Due to this, the FIR noted, “controlled air firing and use of force” was ordered, which somewhat succeeded in dispersing the mob. “Five round of tear gas [shells were fired] and several rounds of air firing was done and then lathi charge…after which the crowd was controlled…. According to police officers at the spot, miscreants fired 60-80 rounds,” the FIR stated.
It noted that after the violence was controlled, “no one injured was found at the spot”.
After the violence, another FIR was registered at Daily Market police station based on ASI Sumit Bhagat’s complaint on illegal protests. A third FIR was registered at the same station against four persons for performing ‘kirtans’ even after CrPC Section 144 was invoked in the area.
The fourth FIR is based on the complaint by ASI Madan Mishra of Lower Bazar police station that mobs shouted slogans and got into a scuffle with police personnel. It named 17 accused, and is identical as the FIR at Daily Market police station.
The fifth FIR is based on a complaint by Sub Inspector Jitendra Singh Bist of Lower Bazaar station — it stated that apart from violence with police, the mob also targeted “passersby”.
The FIR stated: “…one black vehicle was coming with a Bihar Government [number] plate and the mob made a life- threatening attack on the car and its occupants, glasses were broken but somehow the people were saved.”
Bihar Road Construction Minister Nitin Naveen was in the car.
Two other FIRs are based on complaints of media reporters who said that one Scooty and a car got damaged and one laptop was stolen in the melee.
Thirteen FIRs are based on complaints by local businessman/residents for stone-pelting, firing and alleged molestation of women by the mob.
One FIR was registered on the complaint of two residents from the minority community who were beaten up on June 10 night when they had gone to collect pizza.
One FIR has been registered on the complaint of a temple priest.
