5 more arrested by police in connection with communal violence at Bihar Sharif

Two more accused, involved in some other cases and also wanted by the EOU in Nalanda communal clashes cases, surrendered before the police on Sunday.

Patna:Bihar Police on Sunday arrested five more people in connection with its probe into the communal violence that erupted in Bihar Sharif town in Nalanda district during the Ram Navami festivities. Fresh arrests have been made by the Economic Offences Unit (EOU) of the Bihar Police.

Two more accused, involved in some other cases and also wanted by the EOU in Nalanda communal clashes cases, surrendered before the police on Sunday. The EOU will now seek their custody. EOU sleuths are also probing association, if any, of the surrendered accused with some particular outfit. "Investigations by the EOU have revealed that the accused had created a WhatsApp group and through that they were spreading hatred among people against different communities. Accused were also instigating people to indulge in spreading fake video messages against different communities. The EOU has also recovered five mobile phones from their possession that are being further scrutinized", JS Gangwar, Additional Director General (ADG) of Bihar Police (Headquarters), told reporters here on Sunday.

The EOU is also conducting it's separate investigation to nab those who were indulging in spreading fake videos and messages by using different social media platforms during communal tensions in Nalanda and Sasaram, he said, adding the EOU registered it's first FIR against 15 people on April 8. All five arrested persons are named accused.

"Investigators are examining credentials of all members of this group. More arrests are likely to be made by the police in the coming days", said the ADG. Normalcy has already been restored in both towns Nalanda and Sasaram and the situation is completely under control, he said, adding that officials are also examining CCTV footage to identify the culprits. Besides, police are keeping a close watch on social media to stop rumour-mongering, he added.

"Bihar Police have so far registered a total of 20 FIRs, including the latest case registered by the EOU--to probe communal clashes in Nalanda and Sasaram...and more than 200 people have already been arrested", the ADG said.

Fearing attachment of their properties, several accused of communal violence have started surrendering before the police, said another senior officer of the Bihar Police on the condition of anonymity. Communal tension had flared up at Sasaram and Nalanda during Ramnavami celebrations. In Biharsharif, over a dozen people were injured in stone-pelting and firing by miscreants and about 10 shops were gutted. One person died following the violence. (PTI)