250 booked for ruckus at tribal hostel in Harmu

Ranchi: A day after violence broke out at Naveen Sarna hostel at

Ganganagar

colony in Harmu, police filed FIR against 250 people. On Wednesday, a mob of over 100 people ransacked the hostel premises over dispute over the ownership of land where the hostel is situated. Reportedly, the matter is currently in court. Local resident Ajay Tirkey said the land where the hostel exists was donated by its owner in 2011 and nobody has claimed it since then. However, one

Bishu Oraon

, a local tribal a few days back claimed that the land belonged to his ancestors. In the FIR, police personnel named several persons, including Bishu Oraon, for inciting the mob. Officer in-charge of Sukhdeonagar Police Station,

Mamta Kumari

, said, “We are looking into the matter and verifying the allegations. The main accused, Bishu Oraon, has not yet been arrested.”There’s anguish and fear among the 150 hostel inmates following the ruckus. “The violent crowd damaged hostel boundary wall, bathroom, hall, kitchen, roof and rooms. Armed with axe, sticks, hammers, bricks and catapult, they attacked us when we tried to stop them. They even snatched our phones and threw it,” said a hostel inmate.Political and social activists on Thursday held a meeting to condemn the incident. The participants comprising MLAs Rajsesh Kacchap and

Bandhu Tirkey

, former minister

Geetashree Oraon

and students’ leader Ajay Toppo demanded immediate arrest of the culprits involved in the incident, adequate security measures for the students, installation of closed circuit television cameras (CCTVs) and repair of the damages caused to the hostel.Toppo said, “A delegation also met the senior superintendent of police (SSP) with the demands.”