Patna: A case was lodged against Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Ashwani Choubey's son in connection with communal clashes during a procession in Bihar's Bhagalpur district, police said on Monday.

"Two cases were lodged in connection with the clashes two days ago. The first was against taking out the procession without permission, inciting communal sentiment and roaming on roads with displaying arms in which Choubey's son Arijit Shashwat and 20 others were named as accused," police officer Md Janeefuddin told.

Janeefuddin said that an investigation has begun into Shashwat's role in the clashes that took place in Nathnagar on Saturday.

The procession was organised by the Bharatiya Navvarsh Jagran Samiti on the eve of the Hindu New Year.

Tension still prevailed in Nathnagar and neighbouring Champanagar areas.

However, Choubey as well as local BJP leaders have claimed that rally organisers had been given permission by the district administration.

The minister also denied that provocative slogans were raised and objectionable songs were played in the procession.

Shashwat had unsuccessfully contested the last Bihar Assembly polls as the BJP candidate from Bhagalpur, considered a stronghold of Choubey.

Additionnal security forces have been deployed and internet services have been suspended since Saturday night.

Bhagalpur is a communally sensitive place as it witnessed one of the worst communal riots in 1989 in which more than 1,000 people were killed.

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Prayagraj, Jan 24 (PTI): The Allahabad High Court on Wednesday dismissed a writ petition seeking direction to the state authorities to permit the mounting of loudspeakers on a Masjid.

The court observed that the religious places were for offering prayers, therefore the use of loudspeakers was not a matter of right.

Dismissing the writ petition filed by Pilibhit-resident Mukhtiyar Ahmad, a two judge-bench, comprising Justice Ashwani Kumar Mishra and Justice Donadi Ramesh, observed, "Religious places are for offering prayers to the divinity and use of loudspeakers cannot be claimed as a matter of right, particularly when often such use of loudspeakers create nuisance for the residents".

At the outset, the state counsel objected to the maintainability of the writ on the grounds that the petitioner was neither a mutawalli, nor did the mosque belong to him.

The court also noted that the petitioner did not have locus to file the writ petition.

The term 'locus' is a legal concept that refers to the right of a person or entity to participate in a legal proceeding or bring a lawsuit.