Following a fierce clash between the police and a section of local villagers over an attempt of setting up a separate Kolhan estate, West Singhbhum district administration on Monday carried out a flag march in district headquarters Chaibasa and adjoining Chaibasa Muffasil police station area.

On Sunday, about 200 agitated separate Kolhan estate supporters at Chaibasa Muffasil police  station , seven police men, including Muffasil police  station  OC were injured in the clash. When police retaliated about a dozen attackers also sustained injuries.

One of the injured constables, Brijmohan Mishra, who sustained arrow injury, was rushed to Tata Main Hospital.

Unruly scenes started when the police prevented recruiting police personnel and teachers for the alleged separate Kolhan estate. The recruitment drive was going on the campus of a school at Ladurabasa village under the Muffasil police station  area on Sunday.

The police tried to stop the recruitment process and had arrested four out of about 50 candidates aspiring for the fake jobs. After the four candidates were brought from the recruitment venue to the Muffasil police  station , over 200 people came to the police station, demanding the release of those arrested.

When the police used force to disperse the crowd, the mob of villagers who were armed with bows and arrows and other traditional weapons attacked the police station. They shot arrows targeting the police men and also hurled stones. Sensing trouble, the police resorted to lathi charge and fired tear gas shells to disperse the mob.

A section of villagers supporting the separate Kolhan estate have started the recruitment process for police personnel and teachers since August 2021 and had even placed advertisements.

According to the sources, a handful of men, including a CRPF jawan, identified as Ajay Pariar, is behind the alleged recruitment drive for the separate Kolhan estate.

A police official said the police have arrested all 17 persons, including Ajay Pariar in connection to the Sunday’s violence. “We have increased vigil in the entire area. A flag march was also carried in Chaibasa and its adjoining areas while searching for some more people involved in yesterday’s violence, ” said the official.

Pariar who is a CRPF jawan was posted at Latehar district and was absent from his duty since November. The attempt for a separate Kolhan estate is not new but a few elements in the tribal community in Kolhan used to give significance to the age-old notion and intermittently raised the demand for a separate Kolhan estate.