Communal Clashes Erupt in Indore Village after Hindutva Groups Take Out Rally

New Delhi, 31 Dec 2020 [Fik/News Sources]: Communal clashes broke out in Chandankhedi village near Indore, Madhya Pradesh on Tuesday after Hindutva groups took out a rally in a Muslim-dominated area for collecting donations for the construction of the Ram temple.

A video of the incident has surfaced on social media which shows vandals climbed atop of the mosques and vandalising it.

Clarion India tried to contact local police officers and the police station to get information of the incident but failed to connect through any number available on the website of Indore police.

According to the reports, the clashes started after the Hindutva rally stopped in front of a mosque and started chanting provocative slogans. The provocative activities of the Hindutva rally triggered heated exchanges between the villagers and the rallying people leading to stone-pelting from the villagers’ side.

According to the Indian Express, those people who participated in the rally chanted Hanuman Chalisa in front of the mosque while the prayers were being offered inside the mosque. The situation turned violent after some of the Hindtuva vandals, chanting Jai Shri Ram, climbed atop the mosque and damaged the minaret. The videos also showed Hindtuva activists trying to burn down houses and damaging several vehicles.

The situation remained tense till late night as the police used tear- gas to disperse the mob and imposed Section 144 prohibiting assembly of more than four people in the area. The in-charge of Gautampura police station, Ramesh Chandra Bhashkare, has been reportedly suspended and SDPO Pankaj Dixit has been removed.

“Twenty-four people, mostly from the village, have been rounded up based on video evidence. There will be more arrests on both sides and people who climbed atop the mosque will be identified and booked under relevant sections,” Yogesh Deshmukh, Inspector General of Police, Indore was quoted by Indian Express as saying.

According to Hindi daily Dainik Bhashkar, 35 people were arrested after the incident which also saw firing during the clashes. Collector Manish Singh said firing was being investigated. The situation is reportedly under control. But heavy police forces have been deployed in the area.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-ruled Madhya Pradesh has been witnessing a series of communal clashes in the last few days due to provocative rallies by the Hindutva groups.

Earlier, communal clashes happened in Ujjain’s Begum Bagh when the Hindutva groups were taking out a rally through the Muslim-dominated areas. The police have arrested 15 people from Begum Bagh, with five of them being booked under the NSA while others were booked for attempt to murder and rioting charges. No one of those who took out the rally was arrested.