On Saturday, April 8, a Hindu youth was attacked and killed with a sword by a Muslim mob in the Bemetara district of Chhattisgarh following a minor dispute between two schoolchildren. In this conflict between the Hindu and Muslim communities, about a dozen persons sustained injuries including police personnel. To handle the situation, multiple police units were deployed in the area.
The incident reportedly took place in the Bemetara district’s Biranpur village of the Saja assembly constituency. A bicycle collision occurred between two school students of the two communities at around 12 noon when they were riding on the road. As a result, the Muslim student hit the Hindu student. Soon others present on the spot joined the fight and a Muslim teenager hit the hand of the Hindu student with a glass bottle. In this attack, the Hindu student’s hand was fractured, and this triggered communal violence.
Hearing about the clash, more people arrived, the matter took a heated turn and then escalated into full-blown communal violence. Both sides started to attack each other with sticks and stones.
During this, some sword-wielding Muslims broke into the house of one Ishwar Sahu and started to hit them with swords. They dragged Ishar Sahu’s 22-year-old son Bhuneshwar Sahu out of the house, brought to a Muslim neighbourhood, and killed him with swords. However, according to the Muslims, he had gone there to attack Muslims and he was killed in a retaliatory attack.
गांव वालों को समझाया गया है और चिन्हित लोगों को गिरफ्त में लिया है। अन्य लोगों की तलाश जारी है। कुछ लड़कों ने पुलिस की गाड़ी में आग लगाई और उसके बाद अलग-अलग रास्तों से जाकर दूसरे पक्ष के घरों में आग लगाने की कोशिश की। अभी स्थिति शांत है: SP कल्याण एलेसेला, बेमेतरा, छत्तीसगढ़(2/2) pic.twitter.com/Zrl24erif5
— ANI_HindiNews (@AHindinews) April 8, 2023
The violence continues for around two hours after the killing of the Hindu youth, and therefore his body was lying at the murder spot for a long time. When the police team arrived in Biranpur village to settle the dispute after learning about the incident, the Muslim mob attacked them also, and pelted stones at the police team. Three police personnel including sub-inspector BR Thakur were injured in this attack. Several vehicles including a police vehicle were also set on fire by a mob and then tried to set some houses on fire.
This clash between Hindus and Muslims resulted in the injuries of over a dozen people. The injured have been admitted to Saja Primary Health Centre. And others who were seriously injured were referred to Raipur, the state capital.
कवर्धा के बाद अब साजा में मंत्री रविन्द्र चौबे के विधानसभा में जिहादियों ने अपने आतंक का नंगा प्रदर्शन किया और हिन्दू युवक 'भुनेश्वर साहू' की निर्ममता से हत्या कर दी। युवक का शव घंटों तक गली में पड़ा रहा, मां अपने निर्जीव बेटे को गले लगाकर रोती रही…#Bemetara #Bhuneshwar pic.twitter.com/0mczLC52Ws
— BJP Chhattisgarh (@BJP4CGState) April 8, 2023
Later the situation was brought under control when additional forces arrived at the spot. Police resorted to mild force to bring the situation under control and disperse the mob.
Bemetara SP Indira Kalyan Elesela said that several people have been arrested and the situation is calm now. He said that it was a minor dispute which turned into a communal clash between two communities. “A few people thrashed a child following which a clash broke out. The dispute between two groups eventually turned intense leaving a man dead. A few policemen were also injured in the incident and undergoing treatment,” the SP said.
The dispute’s alleged root is a 4-month-old issue
At Biranpur village, there was a communal dispute around four months ago because a Muslim youth married a Hindu woman. Hindu organizations were against this union. According to reports, there was a conflict between the two sides over this marriage. Nonetheless, the conflict ended at that point. But recently, Muslims killed a Hindu over a small dispute involving a bicycle collision. Reportedly the population of Hindus and Muslims in the village are almost equal.
Section 144 imposed, Biranpur turned into a cantonment
The police have identified those who were involved in the incident and detained some of them while the Hunt for other suspects is underway. According to reports, the following people have been accused of murder and assault: Jalil Khan, Nawab Khan, Rashid Khan, Baseer Khan, Shera Khan, Abdul Khan, Akbar Khan, Nazir Khan, Janab Mohammad, Ayub Khan, Aalim Khan, Shakeel Khan, Ismail Khan, Zaheed Khan, Kalam Khan, Anwar Khan, Hafiz Khan, and Amir Khan. Police have arrested nine accused meanwhile search is on to nab others.
In the village, section 144 has been imposed and Police were also stationed in various areas. DIG Anand Chhabra along with SPs of Bemetara, Kawardha, Rajnandgaon and Durg have taken charge in the village. The collector of Bemetara is also present in the village. Mobile phone services have been stopped by the police in the village.
VHP calls bandh, demands president’s rule
In protest against the violence, Vishwa Hindu Parishad has called for a Chhattisgarh bandh tomorrow, 10th April. The VHP will also hand over a memorandum to the governor demanding President’s rule in the state. Addressing a press conference, VHP alleged that while more then 50 Muslims were involved in the killing of the Hindu youth, police have nabbed only a small number of people.
