Two 21-year-old men were allegedly hacked to death in separate incidents during Ram Navami processions around midnight at Jhanda Chowk in Jharkhand’s Hazaribagh district, police said.
The deceased have been identified as Prince Kumar, a resident of Silwar village, and Abhishek Kumar from Bada Bazzar Gwaltoli.
The two individuals were participating in religious processions when they were attacked within the Town police station area. Both victims later succumbed to their injuries at the hospital, and no arrests have been made so far.
Prince Kumar was assaulted with a sharp-edged weapon and taken to Sheikh Bhikhari Medical College and Hospital.
“The victim was attacked with a sharp-edged weapon and was brought to the trauma centre of the hospital, but he died during treatment,” SBMCH Superintendent AK Purty reportedly said.
In a separate incident at the same location, Abhishek Kumar was attacked by an unidentified assailant during another procession.
“Abhishek Kumar was hacked to death by an unidentified man during a Ram Navami procession on Saturday. He was rushed to Sheikh Bhikhari Medical College and Hospital (SBMCH) for treatment, where doctors declared him dead on arrival,” said Sadar Sub-divisional Police Officer (SDPO) Amit Anand to TOI.
Officials said both incidents occurred during different processions passing through Jhanda Chowk around midnight.
Police have launched an investigation into the killings, though no arrests have been made so far, the SDPO said.
Ram Navami Violence Across States
According to media reports multiple states saw several incidents of violence and clashes during Ram Navami celebrations this year. In Jharkhand alone, apart from the Hazaribag killings, violence during processions reportedly left over 400 people injured, while separate clashes involving stone-pelting were reported in districts such as Khunti and Garhwa, leading to arrests and heightened security deployment.
Beyond Jharkhand, similar tensions were reported in West Bengal’s Murshidabad, where clashes during processions led to injuries, arrests, and imposition of restrictions.
These incidents suggest that disturbances during Ram Navami processions have occurred in multiple locations across the country this year, raising concerns over law and order during large religious gatherings.
