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Tension over idol installation
TENSION gripped Narsinghpur locality under Tiwarpur police station, where residents of two different localities clashed over installation of Goddess Laxmi?s idol on a new site. Stone pelting, slogan shouting and scuffle between the youths of two communities charged the atmosphere and fear was visible on the face of the residents, who confined themselves into their houses.
TENSION gripped Narsinghpur locality under Tiwarpur police station, where residents of two different localities clashed over installation of Goddess Laxmi’s idol on a new site.
Stone pelting, slogan shouting and scuffle between the youths of two communities charged the atmosphere and fear was visible on the face of the residents, who confined themselves into their houses.
Soon after the incident, traders pulled down shutters and the road wore a deserted look. Around half a dozen youths of both communities sustained injuries in stone pelting. Later, heavy police force was deployed on the site and patrolling was intensified in sensitive areas. District magistrate Dr Hariom, SSP Raja Srivastav along with subordinate officials rushed to the spot and tried to pacify the people, who were raising slogans against the administration.
According to reports, Mangru, a resident of Narsinghpur locality had decided to install an idol of Goddess Laxmi at a new site in front of the house of Pesh Imam Abdul Haq. This was objected to by former corporator of the area Mirza Salim Beg and others.
Taking cognizance, police station incharge of Tiwaripur forced the organisers of the Puja samiti to change the site. Protesting against the alleged partisan attitude of the police administration, BJP mayoral candidate Anju Chaudhary along with other BJP office bearers, gheraoed Tiwaripur police station.
Later, the youths of a particular community took out a victory procession as the city magistrate allowed them to install the idol of Goddess Laxmi on the new site. The victory procession created trouble.
Sharply reacting to the attitude of the administration, the members of other community hit the street and raised slogans which charged up the atmosphere.
Senior police officials swung into action swiftly along with Samajwadi Party city unit president Zia-ul-Islam and senior leader Zafar Amin Dakku.
They pacified the agitated youths and mounted pressure on the administration to change the site.
However, after an agreement, it was decided that the idol would be set up in the veranda of Mangru’s house and no loudspeaker would be used during the puja.
However, on Thursday BJP MP Yogi Adityanath reached the spot and told the people to continue the puja using loudspeakers.
After the visit of Adityanath, the atmosphere once again turned tense. People of other community were blaming puja samiti for violating the agreement.
