Patna: Police have arrested 40 people following violent clashes on Atal Path in Patna, where stone pelting and arson left five officers injured and several vehicles damaged. Authorities allege that outsiders were brought in and paid to incite the violence for political purposes.
The unrest began on Monday evening when residents, angered by the recent deaths of two children from Indrapuri, blocked the road in protest. Tensions escalated when police tried to disperse the crowd, leading to stone pelting and the torching of a prohibition department vehicle. A minister’s car was also attacked.
Patna’s senior superintendent of police, Kartikeya K Sharma, said seven people were initially detained at the site, with overnight raids bringing the total number held to 62. After interrogation, 40 were formally arrested. According to Kartikeya, while some of the arrested are local residents, others were brought from outside.
Investigators identified two alleged conspirators: local ward councillor Guddu and lawyer Shwet Ranjan. Police claim Guddu offered money to Ranjan to mobilise outsiders and provoke unrest, using the children’s deaths as a pretext. Women from the locality were also among those arrested.
