Three states on edge as communal clashes erupt in Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka and Telangana
Jabalpur (The Uttam Hindu): A tense situation arose in Sihora tehsil on Thursday night around 9 pm after a dispute between two groups. According to reports, the two groups clashed over a damaged railing outside a religious site, leading to stone-pelting. Some people were reportedly slightly injured during the altercation. Police used mild force to control the situation and fired tear gas shells to disperse the crowd.
The incident reportedly took place at Azad Chowk in Sihora's Ward No. 5, where the Durga Temple and the mosque face each other. According to eyewitnesses, an altercation broke out between some youths during the evening aarti at the temple and namaz at the mosque, which quickly escalated into a brawl. It is alleged that after sloganeering and attempts to damage the grill, both sides engaged in physical violence and stone-pelting. The chaos lasted for about 10 minutes, causing panic in the area.
Police arrived at the scene as soon as information was received, and reinforcements were called in. Tear gas was used to control the rioters, after which the situation was brought under control. In view of the tension, a large number of police forces have been deployed in the area.
Collector Raghavendra Singh and Superintendent of Police Sampat Upadhyay arrived at the scene and took stock of the situation. The Superintendent of Police stated that no religious sites were damaged and no casualties were reported. He added that the situation was under control and adequate forces were deployed to maintain peace.
The administration has appealed to the public to ignore rumors and stay indoors. Police patrols have been increased in sensitive areas of the city and surrounding areas, and establishments that remain open late into the night have been closed. Suspicious activities are being monitored.
The Sihora area is considered sensitive and has witnessed incidents of minor disputes in the past. Police have launched an investigation into the matter. Initially, a personal altercation is being suspected as the cause of the dispute, but the situation will only become clear after a detailed investigation.
Meanwhile, communal tension has erupted in Bagalkot, Karnataka. According to initial media reports, the clash escalated after stones were pelted from a mosque during a procession organized to mark Chhatrapati Shivaji's birth anniversary. Local police had to resort to force to control the situation in Bagalkot. Clashes between people of two religions have also been reported in Hyderabad, the capital of another South Indian state, Telangana. According to reports, people from two groups shouted slogans against each other during the procession. The situation is currently under control in both places.