RAMGARH: At least 20 people including five women were injured following a clash between two groups of boatmen and their family members on Sunday at Jharkhand's famous tourist destination of Patratru in Ramgarh district, an official said.
The brawl took place between two groups over supremacy in boat operation service at Patratu Lake Resort in Patratu, some 35-km from the state capital Ranchi. The clash was brought under control after the intervention of the police.
The five critically injured persons including three women have been referred to Ranchi's Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) for treatment, the official said.
Ramgarh, Sub-Divisional Officer (SDO) Md Javed Hussain said that a number of boatmen and their family members were injured in the clash between two boatmen groups over the issue of getting supremacy in boat operation.
"We have stopped boat operation with immediate effect to bring peace in the popular tourist destination and administration would take lawful action against those responsible for violence," Hussain said.
There are three groups, that operate boat service in the Lake Resort. Of the three, two are registered, while the third one is unregistered and it wants space in the operation, which led to the clash, the officer said.
Arjun Munda, secretary of a group- Talatand Naw Yatayat Swalambi Sahkari Sammittee (TNYSSS), claimed that they have been providing boat services to tourists from the very beginning but a non-registered committee has been trying to evict them.
"When we denied entry, they made an attack on us," he said.
Gautam Kumar, officer in-charge of Patratu police station said that an investigation into the issue has been started and an FIR will be lodged following primary investigation.
