Madhya Pradesh: Muslim mob attacks Hanuman Jayanti procession with stones, injures minor son of BJP leader
On the evening of 12th April, communal tension erupted in the Guna district of Madhya Pradesh when a Muslim mob attacked a Hanuman Jayanti procession with stones.
The procession was passing near the Colonelganj mosque when the incident occurred at around 8 PM. Several people, including the 11-year-old son of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) councillor Omprakash Kushwaha, were injured during the attack.
The procession that was attacked originated from Shah Ke Kolhu Pura and passed through Hat Road. It was near the mosque when the incident took place. According to the police, the violence erupted after an exchange of slogans between members of two communities.
Superintendent of Police, Sanjeev Kumar Sinha, stated, “The procession was passing near Colonelganj Mosque during which slogans were raised among the two communities. We got to know that stone-pelting also took place, in which some people have been injured. Force was immediately sent as soon as the information was received. The situation was brought under control within 15-20 minutes.”
Extremists identified from videos
Speaking to the media, SP Sinha added that video footage from the scene was used to identify those involved in the violence. He said, “Miscreants have been identified on the basis of video footage. The situation is normal. We appeal to the people not to pay attention to rumours.”
Several videos of the incident surfaced on social media showing two communities clashing. Some individuals were seen pelting stones at the police. In another video, police officers were seen using mild force to disperse the crowd. Amidst the unrest, several youths reached Hanuman Chowk and staged a protest by blocking the road. They demanded strict action against those responsible.
Guna ASP Man Singh Thakur said, “We have been keeping an eye all over the area since night, and the situation is under control. We will take strict action against anti-social elements. We have marked a few people, we have seen the footage, a few have been detained.”
FIR lodged, security tightened
Speaking to the media, District Magistrate Kishore Kumar Kanyal said, “The situation is completely under control now. We got to know that 2-3 people have been injured. We are monitoring from the control room. Do not pay attention to any kind of rumours. The police have registered an FIR against four people.”
Senior officials, including the SP and the Collector, visited the affected areas. They appealed to the locals to remain calm. Additional police forces were deployed across sensitive zones in Guna to prevent further violence.
Police have urged the locals to maintain peace and inform the authorities if anyone attempts to instigate violence.
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