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Bid to install idol near Muslim shrine sparks violence in Madhya Pradesh
A man identified as Yousuf was injured in the violence while a bike and a cooler at the shrine were set on fire
Bhopal/Neemuch: Authorities in Madhya Pradesh’s Neemuch on Monday night barred the gathering of four or more people under Section 144 of the Code Of Criminal Procedure to stem violence after a mob threw stones and resorted to arson following an attempt to install an idol of Lord Hanuman near a Muslim shrine.
A man identified as Yousuf was injured in the violence while a bike and a cooler at the Muslim shrine were set on fire in the Purani Kachehri area of Neemuch. The authorities said they deployed additional police forces to maintain peace.
“A group of people tried to install the idol on government land near the dargah [Muslim shrine]. The people of two communities fought over this issue. A heated argument preceded the stone throwing,” said district police superintendent Suraj Verma.
Police were investigating the matter even as no First Information Report was lodged till late on Monday night.
District collector Mayank Agrawal said Section 144 was imposed and the situation was now under control.
The violence in Neemuch was the fourth such incident in Madhya Pradesh in the last two months and the state’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government has drawn flak over it.
Congress leader KK Mishra said the law-and-order situation is worsening in the state. He accused BJP leaders of trying to create a rift between communities by inciting such violence.
BJP leader Hitesh Vajpayee blamed the Congress. “The Congress is inciting violence to win the assembly election [due next year]. Communal clashes increased after Congress lost elections in four states. But the state government is controlling them effectively.”
