Ranchi | The RSS on Wednesday alleged that petrol bombs were hurled at its office here in the early hours of Wednesday, prompting police to constitute a special investigation team (SIT) to probe the matter.
According to the organisation's functionaries, the incident took place around 12.30 am at the RSS office in Nivaranpur.
Snigdha Ranjan, the head of the RSS's media coordination in Ranchi, alleged that petrol bombs were thrown at the premises. Police, however, said that exactly what was thrown would be confirmed only after a detailed investigation.
"Shards of two glass bottles were recovered from the spot. A forensic team visited the spot to ascertain the contents of the bottles," Ranchi SSP Rakesh Ranjan told PTI.
Asked whether the bottles contained petrol, he said it would be premature to draw conclusions before the forensic examination is completed. "Efforts are underway to identify those involved in the incident," the officer added.
Union Minister Sanjay Seth described the incident as a "serious conspiracy", aimed at disturbing peace in the state capital.
"What was the purpose of hurling petrol bombs? There appears to have been a conspiracy to cause unrest in Ranchi," Seth told PTI Videos and demanded an NIA probe into the case.
Ranchi City DSP K V Raman said investigators have examined CCTV footage from the area and identified some suspicious activity.
"We are examining those leads. Preliminary findings suggest the suspects may have hired a private taxi and that two persons were involved. We are also exploring other sources of information," he said, adding that an SIT has been constituted to probe the incident.
Officials of the bomb detection and disposal squad also visited the RSS office. An official told reporters that the bottle pieces and thread were recovered from the spot.
He said the content in the bottle is suspected to be petrol. "No explosive item such as an IED or bomb was found."
Leader of Opposition in the Jharkhand Assembly Babulal Marandi said the incident was a matter of serious concern.
"I have spoken to the Ranchi superintendent of police, deputy commissioner and the DGP, and urged them to identify and arrest those responsible. I have also demanded setting up a permanent police outpost near the RSS office to strengthen security arrangements," Marandi said.
Senior Congress leader Rajesh Thakur also demanded a thorough probe into the case. "The timing of the incident, which is a day before the Rajya Sabha polls, should also be investigated," he said.
