45 held in connection with Bihar riots, normalcy restored: Police

Patna: Altogether 45 people have been arrested in connection with communal riots at Sasaram and Bihar Sharif towns that erupted during the Ram Navami festivities, the state police headquarters said on Saturday.

The communal riots at Sasaram and Bihar Sharif towns were sparked off late Thursday and continued till Friday.

In a statement, the PHQ also asserted that "normalcy has been restored" in both the places though senior officers were camping in the affected areas by way of caution and heavy deployment of forces continued.

In Sasaram, where Rohtas district is headquartered, 18 people have been arrested in connection with the violence and arson that had left the administration in a tizzy in view of a scheduled programme of Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday.

In Bihar Sharif, where Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's home district Nalanda is headquartered, 27 people have been arrested, added the PHQ statement.