Saran riots' main accused surrenders in Maharashtra

Chhapra/Patna: Saran riots' main accused Mohammad Mubarakh (22) on Wednesday surrendered at Mahatma Phule police station in Kalyan town of Thane district in Maharashtra.
Confirming this, Saran DM Deepak Anand said Mubarakh was on the run, moving from one place to another to avoid arrest. He said the police team which was sent to Bangalore would now leave for Mumbai to bring him to Saran.
It was Mubarakh who had posted the video showing desecration of deities of a particular community on the social media that led to violence. "Another team from Saran left for Mumbai on Wednesday, while a police officer would be sent to Mumbai by flight on Thursday to escort him back with full security," the DM said, adding police created pressure on him through his family to surrender.
Meanwhile, the DM ordered restoration of Internet services in Saran from Wednesday night, but the administration would continue to monitor the social media. "We have restored Internet services with a warning that any miscreant using Internet to fan violence would be dealt with strictly according to law," he said, adding prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the CrPC, which was imposed on August 5, would remain in force for a couple of days more.
Anand has also recommended to the principal secretary of land reforms and revenue department for suspension of Rivilganj circle officer Asaruddin Miyan for dereliction of duty. "He did not reach the violence spot on August 8 even after senior officials reached there," the DM said, adding a clerk, Sanjay Kumar Rai, of Amanaur block has also been suspended as he was absent from duty.
On Wednesday morning, the DM visited Garkha, Maker and Parsa blocks as part of confidence-building measures among the locals.
On the other hand, a BJP delegation handed over a memorandum addressed to the governor to ADM Rajesh Kumar, demanding a high-level judicial inquiry into the Saran riots. Chhapra MLA C N Gupta, Amanaur MLA Shatrughan Tiwary and a few other former MLAs alleged in the memorandum that the video had become viral on August 2 but the local administration did not take steps to prevent flaring up of violence.
They also alleged that innocent BJP and Bajrang Dal workers were being implicated in riot-related cases.