On July 4, Tuesday, some youths vandalised a Hanuman Mandir in the Bhilai village in Chhattisgarh. According to reports, the situation escalated after an alleged dispute broke out between members of both factions.
According to residents, the dispute erupted late on Tuesday night when some local youths pelted stones and burnt flags placed in a Hanuman Mandir in the Sharda Para Chowk in Sant Ravidas Nagar in Bhilai’s Power House Camp-2 area. Nevertheless, the Chhattisgarh police rejected the communal angle and described the conflict as being personal.
Enraged by the attack on the Hindu Temple, over 200 people, including local villagers and members of Hindu organisations like the Bajrang Dal, gathered at the Sant Ravidas Nagar PS and demanded prompt and strict action against the accused. The angry Hindu locals alleged that this was not the first time their place of worship had been vandalised. They said that these occurrences were frequent and that the police do nothing to put an end to the issue at hand.
Local reports suggest that the situation escalated after some Hindu villagers lodged a complaint about mobile theft at the Cantonment Police Station. As soon as the complaint was lodged, some locals allegedly belonging to a particular community reached the Sharda Para Chowk in Sant Ravidas Nagar and began vandalising the Hanuman Mandir.
As the news spread, local Hindus reached the spot and started protesting against the same. Seeing Hindus gathering in huge numbers, the accused fled the spot. Angered by the repeated and regular harassment meted at them, the local Hindus accompanied by members of Hindu organisations reached the Cantonment Police Station and sat on a dharna.
The protest continued till about 12 at midnight. The Hindus only disbursed after the police assured prompt action in the case.
Meanwhile, a video of the purported incident is also going viral on Twitter. In the video, originally shared by a Youtube news channel Bhilai Times, local women are heard narrating the incident. The woman said that the matter escalated after a local Hindu family reported an incident of theft to the local police.
Bhilai, Chattisgarh
— Ritu #जिष्णु (@RituRathaur) July 5, 2023
Muslims first attempted theft in homes of hindus , got caught by hindus who then registered FIR against them..
Police arrested thiefs but they were released in no time..
Post this incident muslims came back with a mob & attacked hindu family which had filed… pic.twitter.com/iAtq09oroK
Late in the night, when the Hindu family returned after reporting the incident of theft to the local police, 10 to 12 miscreants vandalised the complaints house and vehicle. Thereafter, they went to the Hanuman Mandir and pelted stones there, she said.
Another woman standing in the crowd bemoaned how such incidents were common in their area. These youths not only carry out thefts and petty crimes but often harass their daughters making it difficult for them to move around in the area, she said.
The woman added that though she does not know the youths personally but could confirm that they all belonged to the Muslim community.
When asked what action did the police take in the matter, another woman is heard saying that the police has assured to take action after the Hindus reached the police station and protested against the incident. Infuriated by the apathy displayed by the local police in handling such incidents, the woman is heard saying that the police had arrested two youths, and they were released immediately.
Unanimously, the irate Hindus are heard accusing the local police of being biased towards the Muslim population, which is why so many of these incidents go unreported, they said.
“They detain the criminals, but nothing is done to punish them. They are in fact, released in no time, emboldening them to commit atrocities on us fearlessly,” another irate Hindu exclaimed.
Durg Additional Superintendent of Police Sanjay Dhruv, meanwhile, said that two people each from both factions were arrested. He said that the matter pertains to a personal conflict between members of the two communities. The ASP added that the police are conducting flag marches in the area and the situation in under control.
To prevent the matter from escalating further, the police restored the damaged grills and other parts of the temple that were vandalised.
