Jharkhand’s bridge of discontent, CM stoned

Chief Minister Babulal Marandi and Union Minister Rita Verma had a narrow escape yesterday as a mob hurled stones at them during a foundatio...

Chief Minister Babulal Marandi and Union Minister Rita Verma had a narrow escape yesterday as a mob hurled stones at them during a foundation stone-laying ceremony of a bridge on river Ijri. The Rs 1.25-cr bridge is to be built by the state under its ambitious Rs 400-crore Mukhya Mantri Gram Setu Yojna.

But as soon as Marandi and Verma landed in a chopper, a group of over 200 men belonging to Opposition parties of RJD, Marxist Coordination Centre and Jharkhand Vananchal Congress, led by State Science and Technology Minister Samresh Singh, started shouting: ‘‘Rita Verma murdabad, Marandi vapas jao.’’

‘‘The members of the same group rained stones on us. Marandiji and Rita Vermaji escaped unhurt as the securitymen used plastic chairs to shield them,’’ said security guard Shivchandra Singh. Seven persons were hurt.

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Bokaro SP Tadasha Mishra later said seven persons were arrested on charges of rioting. They include Anil Chanmdra Mahto, Raju Rai and Uttam Pandey, who were supporters of Samresh Singh, and RJD MLA Haru Rajwar and MCC legislator Arup Chatterjee.

Sources said the protests were over the venue of the proposed bridge.

Chatterjee, Rajwar and Singh, who represent Nirsa, Chandankyari and Bokaro Assembly seats, wanted the bridge on their turf. Dhanwar had even threatened self-immolation over the issue.

‘‘The site was decided by government engineers. There was no politics involved. The Opposition leaders have no issue,’’ said BJP State Secretary Jawahar Paswan.