Pakur: Over 15 people, including six police personnel, were injured in a clash between the law enforcers and tribal students in Jharkhand's Pakur district, police said on Saturday.
The incident took place on Friday night when a police team reached the KKM College campus for an investigation into an abduction case.
A group of students from a tribal hostel on the college premises allegedly protested the entry of police into the campus, which snowballed into a clash between the police and the students, they said.
The state BJP alleged that tribal students, who were scheduled to stage a protest rally against Bangladeshi infiltration in Maheshpur area of the district on Saturday, were brutally beaten up by the police. The saffron party demanded action against the police personnel involved in the incident.
Students of the hostel claimed that about 10 inmates were brutally beaten up by the police and they are undergoing treatment at local hospital in Pakur.
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A student alleged that police forcefully entered the college campus, despite their objection.
"They (police) also spoke about our proposed rally and said students should not indulge in politics," the student said, requesting anonymity.
Pakur Superintendent of Police (SP) Prabhat Kumar claimed that the incident was not linked with the proposed rally by the Adivasi Chatra Sangh on Saturday, as its permission had already been given by the sub-divisional officer (SDO).
"The Town police station on Friday night received information from a parent that his son has been abducted and he is being taken towards Tinpahar area. The boy's mobile tower location was traced to around KKM College. A local patrolling van comprising a sub-inspector, a constable and a driver was sent to the location," the SP told PTI.
Police interrogated some people in the area but did not find any trace of the boy. Then, they found that the gate of the college was open and entered the campus, he said.
"When police asked a hostel inmate if he had seen any activity regarding the case, he questioned the police how they entered the college premises without permission. This led to a heated exchange of words between them," the SP said.
The student went inside the hostel and returned with a large number of other inmates armed with hockey sticks and lathis, he said.
"They beat up the sub-inspector and constable brutally. The police personnel somehow managed to escape from the college with their lives. The students also broke the windshield of the police vehicle," Kumar added.
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Later, a police force led by Town police station in-charge Anup Raushan Bhengra was sent to the college campus but they were also attacked by the students. As many as six police personnel were brutally injured in the attack by the students, he said.
The students claimed that the police have lodged an FIR against 100 inmates of the hostel.
Leader of Opposition in Jharkhand Assembly Amar Bauri alleged that the Hemant Soren-led government has crossed "all limits of torture on tribals".
"Muslim infiltrators grabbed the land of tribals in Gaybathan area in Maheshpur assembly seat. When owners of the land protested, they were beaten up. When the administration did not take any action, tribal organisations in Pakur decided to hold a mega rally on Saturday over the incident. Instead of taking action against infiltrators, police visited a tribal hostel in KKM College and beat up the students brutally, who were scheduled to lead the agitation," Bauri alleged.
BJP state president Babulal Marandi alleged that Bangladeshi infiltration continues to pose a threat to the "identity and existence" of Jharkhand.
"Take strict action by filing a case against all the policemen involved in this incident. Pakur deputy commissioner should make proper arrangements for the treatment of all the injured students," Marandi posted on social media.
—PTI