The Tappal authorities maintained a tight vigil in the area suspending Internet services and deploying additional forces on Monday, a day after the police thwarted attempts by right-wing groups to hold a “mahapanchayat” in the town over the murder of a toddler.
Tappal area Circle Officer Pankaj Srivastava was transferred on Monday as a fallout of the events of the past few days. Special Superintendent of Police Akash Kulhari denied reports of migration of Muslims from the area, saying “a few persons may have moved out temporarily, but they will return shortly”.
Prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure remained clamped in Tappal, which falls under the Khair tehsil, due to the fear of a communal flare-up as officials warned of strict action against spreading of inflammatory messages or videos on the social media.
District Magistrate Chandra Bhushan Singh ordered suspension of Internet services in the Khair tehsil till midnight, an official release said.
Following the killing of a two-and-a-half-year-old girl in Tappal, some people had been spreading rumours and circulating fake video clips on social media, the release said, adding that these posts were likely to inflame communal passions.
The police struggled to keep the situation under control on Sunday as protesters demanded meting out “instant justice” in the case. The police also prevented people from the neighbouring districts from coming to Tappal.
“We will not allow anyone to create discord,” said Mr. Kulhari.
