Purnia: Chaos erupted in the Majgamahat area of Purnia on Friday after idols of Goddess Durga, being prepared for the upcoming Durga Puja festival, were vandalised, sparking widespread unrest.
According to local residents, a large crowd set fire to property and shops in the area, while a Muslim youth was apprehended by villagers, accused of desecrating the idols. He was reportedly beaten, his hands tied with rope, and later handed over to police, who have taken him into custody at a community hall.
Police reinforcements from neighbouring districts were deployed as the situation escalated. Officers used batons to disperse the crowd and fired warning shots into the air. More than a thousand people had gathered outside the hall demanding the youth be handed over to them. One person was injured in the police action and has been admitted to GMCH Purnia.
Shankar Singh, a local villager, described the sequence of events: “Idols of Goddess Durga were being prepared for Durga Puja. Last night, some people saw a Muslim youth leaving the temple. This morning, they discovered the damaged idols, which sparked anger. Thousands gathered outside the temple, and tensions escalated quickly.”
Singh added that the young man was identified by residents who had seen him near the temple the previous night. “The villagers then apprehended him and beat him before taking him to the community hall,” he said. The youth, who is a resident of the same village, reportedly confessed to the vandalism during police questioning, though his motive remains unclear.
Abu Jagir, the village head, condemned the incident and called for calm. “This is a very unfortunate incident. People of all communities have been living together peacefully here for centuries. We celebrate each other’s festivals together. Such acts cannot be tolerated,” he said.
The police continue to manage the tense situation in Majgamahat, while investigations into the vandalism and the circumstances surrounding it remain ongoing.
