Chaibasa: Railway tracks were blocked and shops downed shutters as BJP activists agitated against alleged desecration of a Hanuman idol at Sonua in West Singhbhum district of Jharkhand on Saturday.

Five trains were stranded for three hours as the agitators sat on the tracks at Sonua in Chakradharpur division of South-Eastern Railway, demanding immediate arrest of those behind the vandalism, railway sources said.

Shops and markets downed shutters as agitated BJP members took to the streets protesting against those trying to disrupt the prevailing communal amity in the area. The BDO, Sonua, was injured in stone pelting by the saffron party men, police said.

Senior Divisional Commercial Manager, Chakradhapur, J S Bindra said DN Howrah-Sambalpur Ispat Express, Special Ahmedabad-Howrah Express, Danapur-Tata-Durg Link Express and Tata-Amravati Passenger were detained at different stations.

The UP and DN Howrah-Sambalpur Expresses will be terminated at Chakradharpur and Manoharpur stations respectively.

Confirming the desecration, SDPO, Chakradharpur, Sudarshan Mandal said some miscreants took away the head of the idol, located within the block office premises, last night.

Senior officials, including Superintendent of Police Sudhir Kum Jha, were camping at the area. The BJP served a 48-hr ultimatum to the district administration to apprehend the culprits and threatened intense movement otherwise. It demanded removal of the BDO and the officer-in-charge of Sonua police station with immediate effect and cancellation of ration cards/voter IDs issued to "illegal Bangladeshi migrants" living in the area.

Police said two persons were arrested following the incident.
Source : DNA