Jharkhand government orders probe into police firing

Ranchi: The Jharkhand government on Thursday ordered a probe into violence and subsequent police firing at a 'ghost fair' organised on the banks of Jhariwa river in Palamau district of the state.

A 'ghost fair' in Palamau district, held on Wednesday despite prohibitory orders by the district administration, saw a mob pelting a police team with stones when it went there to arrest a sorcerer.

One person was killed and five others were injured in the police action. Several policemen too suffered injuries in the mob-violence.

Meanwhile, the women in the Jharkhand Women's Commission said it was serious about tackling such issues and wished to stop torture of e name of superstition.

"The 'ghost fair' and other similar fairs are linked to the traditions of the state's people. Use of locally brewed liquor at such fairs makes people unwilling to hear any logic. Neither the state government not we can pass orders to stop such fairs.

"We are concerned about women's issues and we will take up with the government how such fairs could be banned or torture of women stopped," Commission chairperson Mahua Manjhi told IANS.

There was a need to spread literacy among the people in the state, she said.

(IANS)