Madhya Pradesh: Communal clashes were reported from Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and West Bengal on the occasion of Ramnavmi on Sunday. 10th April marked the birth celebrations of the Hindu God Ram. Several states carried out processions to celebrate the festival with pomp. Restrictions have been imposed to maintain the law and order situation, officials said.
Madhya Pradesh, in Central India, witnessed a curfew after violence and arson during a procession was reported. Additional Collector SS Mujalde said that clashes broke when stones pelting took place at a procession that started from Talab Chowk are following an altercation over the music playing on the loudspeaker. Parts of Khargone were put under lockdown after violence erupted a senior official said.
Following the incident, the police informed that additional forces have also arrived in the city. Speaking about the incidents that took place on Sunday, Khargone DIG Tilak Singh said that all individuals have been asked to remain inside their homes. Around 70 people have been taken into custody in connection with the clashes, he added.
Visuals making rounds showed vehicles burning, stone-pelting and police firing tear gas. According to sources, four houses and a temple were vandalized. Around 24 people including SP Siddharth Chaudhary and six other policemen were injured in the clashes that erupted during a Ram Navmi procession.
Large gatherings have been banned in Madhya Pradesh’s Khargone city, about 300 km from the state capital Bhopal. “No casualty has been reported and ten people were injured in the incident. A curfew has been imposed in the district after the violence. The situation is now under control,” district collector Anugrha P said on Sunday.