The district administration late night lifted the prohibitory order under Section 144 of the CrPC from the ME School road area in Jugsalai where violence erupted during polling on May 12 afternoon.
Though the administration has lifted the prohibitory order from the ME School area, jawans belonging to Jharkhand Armed Police (JAP) continue to be deployed there as a precautionary measure.
"The situation has returned to normal so we have decided to lift order. We decided to lift the Section 144 of the CrPC from ME School area in Jugsalai as situation has improved. The deployment of force will continue for the next few days," said Dhalbhum sub-divisional officer Chandan Kumar.
Kumar said they are deploying the forces in absence of the prohibitory order. He said if any untoward incident is reported from that place, then they would implement the prohibitory order once again.
"We are keeping an eye as the results of the Lok Sabha elections are to be declared on May 23. After the poll results are out, people may take out procession in their respective areas, including on the ME School road in Jugsalai. Sensing trouble we have to make security arrangement at the sensitive areas like ME School in Jugsalai. The forces will remain deployed at that troubled spot," the SDO said.
Jawans of Jharkhand Armed Police (JAP) are deployed at ME School Road and Millat Nagar where a section of youths clashed with police due to dispute over polling booth between candidate Champai Soren and BJP supporters at the St John's High School on May 12 afternoon.
After police had intervened, Soren's supporters most of whom are residents of adjoining Millat Nagar had attacked on the houses by stone pelting. As the situation got tense, the administration had promulgated Section 144.
Police said that clash between the two groups initially took place at the polling booth located at St John School. When one of the groups became aggressive the jawans posted at the spot used mild force and drove away the people. During this voting was hampered for some time but later it commenced peacefully. After some time the two groups once again were involved in brawl with each other some distance away from the polling both during which stone pelting between the two sides also took place.
Jugsalai OC, Nityanand Mahto also said that though forces are deployed there even after lifting of the Section 144, the situation is fast returning to normalcy.
"We are keeping a vigil on the situation in ME School area. We are confident that peace will be restored among the two communities at that locality soon," said Mahto.
