Police said trouble erupted after miscreants pelted stones from a nearby graveyard on a temple near Tiranga chowk damaging its lights while Shab-e-Barat was being observed last night.
As word of the incident spread today protestors burnt tyres at several places and blocked rail traffic on Saharsa-Madhepura section. They also forced shopkeepers and businessmen to down shutters of their establishments.
The DIG Koshi range, Sanjay Kumar Singh and Saharsa District Magistrate Misbah Bari were camping in the town to minitor the situation, the police said adding additional policemen and anti-riot vehicles have been deployed at several places.
The situation in the town was tense but under control, the police added.