Ranchi, 17 June

The RSS on Wednesday alleged that petrol bombs were hurled at its office in Ranchi in the early hours, prompting the police to constitute a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the matter.

The incident took place around 12.30am at the RSS office in Nivaranpur in the Chutia police station area, according to RSS functionaries.

Snigdha Ranjan, the head of the RSS's media coordination in Ranchi, alleged that petrol bombs were thrown at the premises.

Police, however, said the exact nature of the objects used would be confirmed only after a detailed investigation.

"Parts of two glass bottles were recovered from the spot. A team from the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) has been called 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 conclude that the forensic examination is completed.

"Efforts are underway to identify those involved in the incident," he 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? It was to trigger a fire, as petrol is highly inflammable. There appears to have been a conspiracy to create unrest in Ranchi," Seth told PTI Videos.

Ranchi City DSP KV Raman said investigators have examined CCTV footage from the area and identified some suspicious activity.

"We are working on 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.

An SIT has been constituted to probe the incident, he said.

"The FSL team and dog squad have been called in as part of the investigation," he said.

Leader of Opposition in the assembly, Babulal Marandi, called the incident a matter of serious concern.

"I have spoken to the Ranchi SP, Deputy Commissioner and the DGP and urged them to identify and arrest those responsible. I have also demanded the establishment of a permanent police outpost near the RSS office to strengthen security arrangements," Marandi said.

Police said all possible angles are being examined.