BHOPAL: Prohibitory orders barring public gatherings have been issued in Madhya Pradesh’s Khandwa after a clash between two groups after an idol was installed in a house and a pooja organised, reportedly to celebrate the birth anniversary of a local Bharatiya Janata Party leader.
Khandwa superintendent of police (SP) Vivek Singh said the incident took place after one group attempted to perform religious rituals on a private property. “The house owner Sheikh Asgar, who purchased the house from Ganesh Jadhav a few weeks ago, reached there and opposed the pooja. Both the groups attacked each other… Four police personnel were injured”.
City superintendent of police Poonam Chand Yadav and three others were injured in the clash.
Police seized the idol and registered a first information report (FIR) against Ravi Awhade and Sheikh Asgar who allegedly led the two sides on charges of creating ruckus and rioting.
Congress corporator Nilofar Sharafat Khan accused Ravi Awhade of trying to incite trouble after his sister lost a local election.
“I became the corporator of Padamkund ward and Ravi Awhade is trying to create communal tension in the area. Ravi entered the locked house and placed idol to encroach the house,” she added, adding that her husband was also arrested by police.
Ravi Awhade was not available for comment.
District collector Anup Kumar Singh imposed prohibitory orders under Section 144 of Criminal Procedure Code.
In a second incident in Narmadapuram district, a church was vandalised and set on fire by unidentified miscreants. Narmadpuram SP Gurukaran Singh said, “In Chauki Pura village, a five –year-old church belonged to Evangelical Lutheran Church in America was set ablaze and people wrote Ram with an oil paint. This is the second incident in the past two months. Earlier, a church was set on fire in Sukhtawa block in January. Police are investigating the matter.”
