An RSS office in Jharkhand's capital Ranchi came under attack in the early hours of Wednesday when unidentified persons allegedly hurled petrol bombs at the premises, triggering concerns over security and public order.
Leader of the Opposition in the Jharkhand Assembly, Babulal Marandi, described the incident as a serious matter and warned that it could have been a precursor to a much larger attack. He said the issue had already been brought to the attention of the district administration.
"At around 12.36 a.m., two men threw petrol bombs at the RSS office. They came by car with motorbikes accompanying them. This is a serious matter. It was preparation for a bigger incident," Marandi said, adding that he had spoken to the district collector regarding the matter.
Attackers Allegedly Arrived on Motorcycles
Union Minister of State for Defence Sanjay Seth later visited the site and shared details of the incident based on information available at the location.
According to Seth, a taxi bearing a yellow number plate was parked some distance away from the RSS office, while two motorcycles were allegedly used by the attackers.
He claimed the individuals arrived on the motorcycles, briefly stopped near the premises and hurled two petrol bombs. While one device exploded in the air, the second reportedly fell to the ground and broke apart without detonating.
Fire Could Have Caused Extensive Damage, Says Seth
Seth alleged that the intention behind the attack was to trigger a fire at the premises. He pointed out that several vehicles were parked nearby and RSS workers were present inside the office when the incident occurred.
He said a petrol bomb could have caused extensive damage had it exploded on the ground and ignited surrounding vehicles or structures.
The minister further claimed that the incident reflected a larger conspiracy to create unrest in Ranchi. He maintained that the alleged plan had failed and asserted that efforts to disturb peace in Ranchi or elsewhere in Jharkhand would not be allowed to succeed.
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Stone-Hitting Episode Involving Mohan Bhagwat
The Ranchi incident comes just days after another security-related episode involving RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat.
A stone struck the Shatabdi Express near Firozabad while Bhagwat was travelling from Kanpur to Delhi. The object hit coach E1, where he was reportedly seated, shattering a window pane.
Railway officials confirmed that no one was injured in the incident and that Bhagwat, along with other passengers, remained safe throughout the journey.
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Probe Underway Into Both Incidents
Following the train incident, the Government Railway Police and railway authorities launched an investigation to determine how the stone struck the coach.
Officials have not yet concluded whether the episode was accidental or deliberate.
Meanwhile, authorities are expected to investigate the petrol bomb attack in Ranchi to identify those responsible and establish the motive behind the incident. No arrests had been reported in connection with the case at the time of reporting.