Tension erupted in Jharia on Thursday over an offensive Facebook post that triggered a protest and a backlash that the police controlled by evening.

In the morning, around 200 residents of Upper Kulhi, Chouthai Kulhi, Shamsher Nagar in Jharia staged a roadblock at Thana Mor since 10.30am to protest a Facebook post about a religious figure of a minority community put up by a Jharia resident.

The roadblock started peacefully, but soon unidentified youths wielding lathis and hockey sticks, and claiming to be the supporters of those in the roadblock, ran towards the adjoining Rajbari Road locality of Thana Mor around 11.30am and attacked shops, smashing soft drink bottles, glass counters and windows.

Residents of Rajbari then came on road to protest against vandalism. News about the attack on shops at Rajbari spread to other parts of Jharia after which a large number of people gathered at the Katras Mor-based Vishwa Hindu Parishad office to protest.

As tension gripped Upper Kulhi, Thana Mor, Katras Mor, Rajbari Road, Phusbunglow and other areas, police stepped in. Reinforcements from police stations such as Jorapokhar, Dhansar, Dhanbad, Sudamdih, Tisra, Ghanudih dispersed protesters of the two communities.

Senior officials led by rural SP Amit Renu, subdivisional officer Raj Maheshwaram and Sindri DSP Ajit Kumar Sinha visited different areas of Jharia and appealed to people to help them maintain harmony.

Police carried a flag march in tense areas.

In the evening, rural SP Amit Renu claimed the situation was completely under control. The offensive post has been removed.