Rohtas (Bihar) : As violence has hit Sasaram in Bihar, widespread panic has spread triggering rumours that many people are leaving their homes and going to villages far away from the city. Reports emerged saying Hindus are leaving their homes in fear of further violence. Some victims of violent incidents said that any untoward incident can happen at any time.
However, the Rohtas Police dismissed Hindus leaving their homes in Sasaram as a baseless rumour and appealed to the general public not to pay attention to any such rumours. No one has left their homes and the situation is peaceful and normal in Sasaram, the police said, giving their response to concerns expressed by people on social media.
A woman victim has said that the things in the house were broken and it has been looted. Money kept for her daughter's marriage was also looted but the police could not do anything, she said. Another local woman, Tarannum, asked what should they do by staying here and leaving home would be wise.
"The situation here is not good. That's why they are leaving the house. There is no protection from the police. There are five girls, they have to get married. Everything in the house was looted", Tarrannum said.
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Another resident, Ajay Mahato, said that a lot of brick and stone were pelted and that there is an atmosphere of panic among the people here. When there was the procession of Ram Navami, violence started near the mosque and CCTV has been broken, he said. The situation here is not good, so we are going to our village, he added.
Kanchan Kumari, a woman resident, said that they saved themselves by locking up inside the house at the time of the incidents, otherwise untoward things could have happened to them. "People were filling bullets in guns near my house. We hid in the house by closing the window and gate. They also broke the window. The way the situation is, it is not right to stay here. That's why we are leaving home and going to the village. If the situation is normal, we will return, otherwise we will stay there," she said.
After Ram Navami on Thursday, there was a violent clash between the two parties in Sasaram on Friday. Fierce stone pelting and arson were done between the two sides, due to which the atmosphere of the area deteriorated, sources said. During this, people set many vehicles on fire. In view of this, the district administration has stopped internet service and imposed Section 144.
