Tension in MP town after communal clash; police use tear gas, arrest 49 people

Jabalpur, Feb 20 (PTI) Tension prevailed in Sihora town in Madhya Pradesh's Jabalpur district after members of two communities clashed, indulged in stone-pelting and vandalism, forcing police to fire teargas shells, officials said on Friday, adding that 49 people were arrested in this connection.

The incident occurred in the Azad Chowk area around 10 pm on Thursday, following which heavy police force was deployed in the locality, they said.

Madhya Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Rajendra Shukla said directives have been issued to ensure maintenance of law and order. He said the government was aware of the situation and the administration was performing its duties effectively.

Eyewitnesses said a temple dedicated to Goddess Durga and a mosque are located close to each other in the Azad Chowk area.

They said that while 'aarti' was underway at the temple, an altercation broke out over damage to the temple's safety grill, following which both sides began hurling stones at each other and vandalised shops and vehicles parked there.

Superintendent of Police (SP) Sampat Upadhyay said the police initially used mild force but later fired eight to ten teargas shells to disperse the mob.

Senior police and administrative officials later visited the spot to take stock of the situation.

Additional police force was called from outside the district and has been stationed there, the officials said.

Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) Suryakant Sharma said, "We have arrested 49 persons in this connection so far. Others involved in the violence are being identified and will be arrested soon." Protesters alleged that the temple was vandalised and also claimed that stones were hoarded near another place of worship, which was mentioned in their memorandum, he added.

When contacted, district collector Raghavendra Singh told PTI over phone from the spot, around 40 km from the district headquarters, that the situation was under control now.

He denied the possibility of imposing prohibitory orders.

Stone-pelting was limited between two groups and the temple was not targeted and remained undamaged, the collector said.

Some videos of the clash also went viral on social media.

Talking to reporters in Bhopal, Sports and Youth Welfare and Cooperatives Minister Vishwas Sarang said Madhya Pradesh is a peaceful state and no individual or group has the right to take the law into their own hands.

Referring to a viral video showing stones being hurled from atop a mosque, Sarang said an investigation is underway and action is being taken against those responsible.

"No one has the right to take the law into their own hands. How stones were collected at the mosque is a matter of investigation," he said.

On Friday afternoon, some activists of a right-wing organisation gheraoed the Sehore police station and squatted on the road while reciting the Hanuman Chalisa, demanding demolition of houses of those involved in the vandalism.

Meanwhile, talking to PTI Videos, local corporator and Muslim leader Arshad Khan said what happened was deplorable.

"A mazar (a Muslim shrine) was vandalised...For us, a mazar and a temple are the same. I have been a public representative since the last 15 years and want both places of worship to remain unharmed," he said.

He also claimed that 10 to 12 people arrested in the case were innocent. "They were booked and produced before a court despite having no role in the violence. Innocent persons should be let off, and those involved in violence must be punished," Khan added.

He said 20 to 30 motorcycles and five cars were damaged during the violence. PTI