Hurhuri village under Ratu Police Station in Ranchi turned into a fortress on Sunday following clashes between two groups during Ramnavami procession on Saturday evening.

Almost all the shops in the area remained closed as the District Administration imposed section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) in the area in a bid to avert further clashes.

Ranchi Superintendent of Police (Rural), Ashutosh Shekhar said that the situation was under control on Sunday and a peace committee was constituted to pacify both the groups involved in the clash.  “The Senior officials of the district administration held a meeting in the morning with people of both the groups to pacify them.  The police team has arrested some people who were involved in the incident. Two persons have sustained severe injuries in the clash,” he said.

Sub divisional officer of Ranchi, Garima Singh, who chaired the meeting with the two groups informed The Pioneer that after the clash on Saturday, the two groups were supposed to take out a peace procession on Sunday. "However the procession was stopped midway by a neighbouring village, with intentions to create further problems," she said.

Singh informed that heavy police force has been deployed in the area and the administration is putting in all efforts to keep the situation under control.

Station House Officer, Ratu Police Station, Manoj Kumar Rai said that senior officials of district administration have been camping in the village since the incident.

“Some members of a particular group are still trying to cause further clashes and the police are trying to pacify them,” he added.

Meanwhile, a similar incident of stone pelting was reported during the Ramnavmi procession at Sikni Village under Rajrappa Police Station in Ramgarh District when people belonging to two different groups resorted to stone pelting on each other on Saturday.

Ramgarh SDO Anant Kumar said, “The situation is normal now. Both the groups have been restrained and confined to their houses. Section 144 has been invoked in the area.”

He added, “Around 50 police personnel have been deployed in the area who is continuously patrolling the area.”

The SDO informed that around five people, including a circle officer cum magistrate were injured in the violence. “A police officer also sustained minor injuries but he has resumed his duties today,” he said.