Five people have been injured in a bomb blast at Sasaram in Bihar, where clashes between two groups have been reported since Thursday in connection with Ram Navami celebrations.
This comes amid reports that fresh violence erupted in the state on Saturday evening, according to ANI.
The towns of Sasaram and Bihar Sharif have been witnessing violence since last Thursday. Vehicles, houses and shops were torched and several people were injured in the flare-ups in both towns. Following this, the district administration ordered the imposition of Section 144 at Sasaram on Friday afternoon after the re-eruption of clashes.
Amid this, Union Home Minister Amit Shah cancelled his tour of Sasaram.
The Bihar Police said the blast, however, does not appear to be a communal incident. Officials said the injured people have been taken to a hospital, and a forensic team was rushed to the spot.
Two have been arrested in this connection. The Rohtas police added that the injured were handling illegal explosives at a private property in Rohtas.
"There was a bomb blast in Sasaram. Injured people were referred to BHU hospital. We're investigating all the angles right now. The cause of the blast is still not known," Sasaram DM Dharmendra Kumar said.
The Bihar Police said that the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) team reached the spot to investigate the matter. "The blast was reported at a shanty and a scooty has been recovered from the area. Prima facie it does not appear to be a communal incident," the police said.
Meanwhile, Nalanda DM Shashank Shubhankar too said tht the situation was peaceful in Bihar Sharif. "The situation is peaceful and under control in the district. Section 144 has been imposed to prevent gatherings. I appeal to the public to not pay attention to rumours," Shubhankar added.
Meanwhile, the police team, Special Task Force (STF), and Para Military forces conducted a flag march in Sasaram on Saturday.
Saturday's clashes
The situation continued to be tense on Saturday too with fresh clashes erupting between two groups in in the Paharpur area in Bihar Sharif, and the Khasganj locality in the Sohsarai police station area. “During the clashes in the Paharpur area, two persons suffered bullet injuries, and were admitted to the hospital for treatment,” Dr Mahendra Kumar from Bihar Sharif Sadar Hospital told ANI.
The Bihar police have arrested 45 people in connection with the clashes. The officials had earlier stated that "normalcy has been restored" in both places. In Sasaram, 18 people have been arrested in connection with the violence and arson.
