Hyderabad: Police in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Haryana have made several arrests in connection with the hoisting of saffron flags on the compound walls of at least two mosques and clashes during Ramnavmi processions on Friday, officials said. In Bihar, where clashes took place during Ramnavmi processions in Sasaram and Nalanda, 27 people were arrested in Nalanda while 18 people have been arrested in Sasaram related to the violence, Bihar Police said in a statement.
Also read: Section 144 imposed in Bihar's Sasaram as violence breaks out after Ram Navami procession
Eight persons were injured while around half a dozen vehicles were set ablaze in stone pelting and arson on the 10th day of Ram Navami celebrations near Gagan Diwan under the Laheri Police Station area in Biharsharif, which is the district headquarters of Nalanda. Police have imposed section 144 in Nalanda and Sasaram as a precautionary measure.
Superintendent of Police, Nalanda, Ashok Mishra has appealed people not to believe rumours and maintain peace. Four men have been arrested for hoisting saffron flags on shops in the vicinity of a mosque in Uttar Pradesh's Mathura on Friday, officials said. The accused Kavya, Honey, Rajesh, and Deepak were part of the Ramnavmi procession taken out by the Ram Janma Mahotsav Samiti from the Ram temple located in the Ghiyamandi area.
They hoisted the saffron flags on the shops at the Chowk Bazar intersection. Police has beeb deployed in strength to maintain law and order. Similar saffron flag hoisting incident was also reported in Sonipat in Haryana where Hindu youths hoisted saffron flags in the mosque on the occasion of Ram Navami. Police have taken five accused into custody and a case has been registered into the matter, Vipin Kadian, ACP Law and Order said.
