Curfew imposed in Chhattisgarh’s Kawardha town after communal violence; 15 detained

Kabirdham district SP said 40 people have been booked under various penal provisions and 15 people detained. Three police personnel were also injured while trying to stop the mob.

Published on: Oct 6, 2021, 24:24:15 IST

By Ritesh Mishra

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RAIPUR: Curfew was imposed in Kawardha town of Chhattisgarh’s Kabirdham district on Tuesday evening after when violence broke out between two communities over removal of religious flags from a thoroughfare. Around a dozen of people including three policemen sustained minor injuries in the violence.

The Chhattisgarh police imposed curfew in Kawardha town of Kabirdham district after violence broke out over flags put up by people from two communities. Police use cane charge to disperse the groups of people who had gathered. (Twitter/ChhattisgarhBJP)

“Curfew has been imposed in the evening after the violence. We are registering FIRs and till now 40 people have been booked,” Kabirdham superintendent of police (SP) Mohit Garg said.

Police said tension started on Sunday evening when people from two communities brawled over removal of religious flags from Lohara Chowk area. Restrictions under section 144 were imposed the same day to cool tempers on both sides.

On Monday, Garg said the police arrested six people and two FIRs were been registered against people from both communities. Police also called a peace committee meeting where people were asked to remove religious flags from Lohara Chowk in view of upcoming festivals and to maintain peace and harmony.

“On Tuesday, a protest was called by a right-wing organization turned violent when the protesters entered the areas dominated by the other community. The situation is under control and curfew has been imposed. A few people including some police personnel sustained minor injuries but they are stable,” said Director General of Police DM Awasthi.

“On Tuesday, a group of people from a community entered areas of other community and violence started…Bikes were torched and some houses of other communities were also ransacked… Later, police lathi-charged at some places and strict curfew has been imposed in the town,” said a senior police official, adding that the internet services have been suspended for now

The official added that around 15 people have been detained.

“Stones were pelted on police, due to which, three policemen were injured. An inspector, Pradeep Sori, has been admitted to government hospital while the rest sustained minor injuries,” said the officer.

Kawardha is home town of Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) former chief minister Raman Singh. Forest minister Mohammad Akbar is also from the district.

Raman Singh blamed the local administration. “The administration and police were unable to solve a minor issue between the two communities, which led to violence and clash…The administration failed. Now the town is peaceful but what happened was unfortunate,” said Singh, who is also BJP vice-president.

Chhattisgarh’s forest minister Mohammad Akbar said the situation was under control.

“Kawardha is a peaceful town and such an incident has never taken place in the past. The violence was unfortunate but everything is under control now,” said Akbar.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Ritesh Mishra
Ritesh Mishra is the State Correspondent for Chhattisgarh with Hindustan Times. He reports on Maoism, internal security, politics, mining, governance, and major developments shaping the state. Based in Raipur, he has covered Chhattisgarh since 2016, reporting extensively from the Bastar region and other conflict-affected areas. With nearly two decades of experience in journalism, Ritesh has built a reputation for ground reporting from some of India's most challenging terrains. His coverage spans Left-Wing Extremism, counter-insurgency operations, elections, tribal affairs, environmental issues, infrastructure, mining, and socio-economic developments. He has reported on major security operations, policy initiatives, wildlife crime, and the changing dynamics of conflict and development in Central India. Before moving to Chhattisgarh, Ritesh spent eight years reporting from Madhya Pradesh, covering politics, administration, crime, development, and social issues. Throughout his career, he has reported on various forms of extremism in Central India, combining field reporting with in-depth analysis to produce accurate, balanced, and impactful journalism. Prior to joining Hindustan Times, Ritesh worked with The Pioneer and The Free Press Journal, where he covered a wide range of beats and honed his skills in political, investigative, and field reporting. His reporting is marked by exclusive stories, extensive fieldwork, and a commitment to factual, on-the-ground journalism that brings complex issues to a wider audience.Read More

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