Security beefed up in Bihar’s Darbhanga days after clash

Patna/Darbhanga, Jul 28 (PTI) Security was beefed up in Bihar’s Darbhanga district where a clash broke out earlier this week over the hositing of a religious flag, officials said on Friday.

Elaborate security arrangements were made in Darbhanga to check any untoward incident during Muharram, they said.

“Additional forces were deployed in sensitive areas of the district,” a senior official of the district police said.

The clash broke out near Bazar Samiti Chowk in Darbhanga town on Sunday after some people objected to hoisting a religious flag close to the place of worship of another community, police said.

As the tension escalated, members of the two communities indulged in stone-pelting until the situation was brought under control by the police and local administration. Several people were arrested in connection with the incident, they said.

The state government on Thursday suspended social media websites in the district till July 30, stating that anti-social elements were spreading “rumor and disaffection” among the public to incite them.

Security was beefed up in other parts of the state as well in view of Muharram.

According to a statement issued by police, 24 companies of Bihar Special Armed Police (BSAP), 4,500 home guards, 7,790 trainee constables and six companies of paramilitary forces have been deployed in the state to check any untoward incident.