Violence in Saran: Post-election violence in Bihar’s Saran between RJD and BJP workers

One person was shot dead and two seriously injured after clashes broke out between BJP and RJD workers in Bihar’s Saran on Tuesday. Two people were arrested and the internet was blocked for two days in connection with the violence.

A ruckus broke out between the workers of the two parties after the RJD’s Saran candidate and daughter of former Bihar chief minister Lalu Prasad Yadav Rohini Acharya on Monday evening before the end of voting in the fifth phase of the Lok Sabha polls cabin in Chapra town.

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Locals accused them of raiding stalls. Locals also alleged that Rohini Acharya and her supporters misbehaved with some voters after they reached the polling booth. When a commotion broke out, she hastily left the place.

However, on Tuesday the dispute escalated and workers from both parties opened fire on each other. While one person died from gunshot wounds, two others sustained serious injuries and were taken to a nearby hospital.

Following the incident, a large number of police personnel were deployed near Bhikhari Thakur Chowk in Chapra. The Superintendent of Police (SP) and the district magistrate are also camping at the spot.

“Action has been taken against those who instigated this incident. The internet was blocked for two days,” Saran SP Gaurav Mangla told India Today.

Saran was among the five Lok Sabha seats in Bihar that went to vote on Monday. A voter turnout of 52.35 percent was recorded in the five seats. Saran recorded a voter turnout of 50.46 percent.

Rohini Acharya was pitted against two-term sitting BJP MP and former Union minister Rajiv Pratap Rudy in Saran.