Bhopal: Neemuch city in Madhya Pradesh where riots erupted between the two communities over installation of an idol of Hanuman on a plot of land near a Dargah on Monday night remained tense on Thursday, official sources said. The district administration clamped Section 144 under CrPC and arrested nine people in connection with the incidents of violence and arson.
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According to reports, the plot of land where the Hanuman statue was placed belongs to the government and the Tehsil office, a hospital and a library were housed there earlier. As soon as the members of the other community objected to the installation of the idol, rioting and arson spread in the locality forcing the police to shoot tear gas shells to disperse the rioting mobs.
In the aftermath of the Khargone riots that took place on April 10 this year, this was the second communal clash in Madhya Pradesh. In charge of Neemuch police station Karni Singh Shekhawat said that nearly 30 people were booked and nine of them were arrested on the grounds of digital evidence.
According to locals, a Dargah has stood on the land since decades, so when some people had installed a Hanuman idol there, the other group objected to it. As a result, the situation became tense. On getting information, the police rushed to the spot and advised both the groups to come to the police station to resolve the issue.
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While the people were dispersing from the spot, some elements from both sides pelted stones at one another, which triggered violence. As a precautionary measure, heavy police force has been deployed in the affected areas of Neemuch town and prohibitory orders have been imposed under Section 144 of the CrPC in the Neemuch City police station area till July 16.
Sekhawat further said that the situation was under control and that any kind of violence would not be tolerated. A group of people are trying to hold peace a meeting of the peace committee to resolve the issue, locals said.
