Bihar: Houses Set Afire After Youth's Death In Saran, Section 144 Imposed, Social Networking Sites Banned

The Saran district administration imposed section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) on Sunday to prevent unlawful gatherings and rallies in the city's Manjhi block.

Police personnel seen trying to maintain law and order situation.

New Delhi: After a young person died on Monday in the Saran district of Bihar, more than a dozen houses were set on fire. Vijay Yadav, the husband of a village head, brutally assaulted the victim, Amitesh Kumar, and two of his friends, on Sunday in Mubarakpur. WhatsApp, Twitter, and Facebook are among the approximately 23 social media messaging and networking applications that the Bihar government has banned. In order to "maintain peace and tranquility," the ban is in effect from February 6 at noon to February 8 at 11 p.m. in the Saran district. 

Government of Bihar temporarily bans 23 social networking and messaging applications till 2300hours of 8th February in Saran district to "maintain peace & tranquility" pic.twitter.com/GqETuqpihx

— ANI (@ANI) February 6, 2023

According to the Indian Telegraph Act of 1885, the government has instructed all Internet Service Providers to halt content transmission. 

The official order stated that "some anti-social element in Saran District may use internet medium to transmit objectionable content in order to spend rumour and dissatisfaction amongst public…"

The Saran district administration imposed section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) on Sunday to prevent unlawful gatherings and rallies in the city's Manjhi block, said police officials.

Yadav and his associates carried out the attack after he suspected the three to have allegedly fired at him on February 2.

The police said that while the other two were fighting for their lives, Amitesh succumbed to his injuries at the Patna Medical College and Hospital.

In the Manjhi police station, an FIR has been filed against five named defendants and 50 unnamed defendants.

Amitesh's family and other relatives burned the houses of his supporters and Vijay Yadav's supporters in Mubarkapur village after Amitesh died.

The fire was put out by the fire department.

The Saran SP, Gaurav Mangala, is currently in the village to assess the situation.

"We have arrested one person so far and raids are on to nab others. We have deployed a large number of police personnel to bring the situation under control," Mangala stated quoted by IANS.