Communal Tensions Rise: Angry Hindus Protest Desecration of Shivling in Jaintgarh.

Jharkhand: Anger flared up due to the breaking of Shivling in Jaintgarh, Hindus blocked roads by burning tyres. 

Locals suspect some communal hands of radical Muslims behind the desecration of the temple deity. 

Upendra Bharti | HENB | Ranchi | Nov 2, 2024:: People of all religions and communities are very angry against those who committed this act after the Shivling of the 200-year-old ancient Neelkanth Shiv temple located in Jaintgarh Mochi Sahi area under Jagannathpur police station jurisdiction was broken by some unknown anti-social elements on the evening of November 1. Angry with this incident, dozens of Hindu people reached Jhanda Chowk in Jaintgarh and blocked the NH-20 road by burning tyres from around 8 pm on November 1 and closed all the shops. Locals suspect some communal hands of radical Muslims behind the desecration of the temple deity.

Devotee who went to lit lamps on Friday evening gave information
People told that on Friday evening when a person went to lit evening lamps in the temple, he saw that the Shivling and other idols of the Shiv temple were completely broken. The news spread like fire. Soon a huge crowd of people gathered and people blocked the main road by burning tyres.

Shops are shut down in Jaintgarh and Champua 
On the second day of the incident, on November 2, shopkeepers of Jaintgarh (in West Singhbhum- Jharkhand) and bordering Champua (Odisha) have voluntarily kept their shops closed since morning. Whereas on Saturdays, due to the weekly market in Jaintgarh, there is no entry and hence the movement of heavy vehicles is stopped. After 8 pm, when the no entry is lifted, vehicles will be allowed to move. Sources say that the police is using all scientific methods to identify the people involved in this incident. The police is investigating which mobiles were active in the temple area at the time of the incident and is trying to find out the culprits.

Demand for strict action against the culprits
Local social worker Amir Hindustani said that people of all religions and communities of Jaintgarh and nearby areas have been living together as a family and in brotherhood and helping each other in festivals, social and religious activities. Such an incident has never happened in Jaintgarh area before. No amount of condemnation of this incident is enough. Strict action should be taken by the police-administration against those who carried out this incident so that in future no one can tamper with anyone’s religious place and faith. People angry with this incident say that people who carried out such an incident have no place in a civilized, clean and peace-loving society. Such an incident cannot poison the mutual unity and brotherhood of the people of Jaintgarh. The police-administration should immediately arrest the people involved in this and take action.

Updates from TOI (Nov 3, 2024):: Holy site razed, protests erupt in Odisha, Jharkhand

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_Inputs from Agencies.