Ranchi, Aug 24: Former Jharkhand chief minister Champai Soren, a leader of the opposition BJP, was placed under house arrest on Sunday in view of a protest by tribal outfits against land acquisition for a state-run health institute in Ranchi, police said.
The protesters alleged that police lathi-charged and fired tear gas shells to disperse them from the site of the proposed project in Nagri area of the city.
Police said tear-gas shells were used to disperse the crowd in view of the prohibitory orders imposed in the area.
Soren’s son Babulal, along with supporters who were on their way to Ranchi, were also detained, they said.
“Champai Soren is under house arrest as a preventive measure to maintain law and order in view of the tribal outfits’ protests,” Deputy Superintendent of Police (City) KV Raman said.
Soren, however, described his house arrest as undemocratic. “No matter how much force the government uses, not a single inch of land will be allowed to be taken,” he said. (PTI)
