On the 21st of June, violence erupted in Rajasthan’s Jodhpur after Hindus protested against attempts by Islamists to open a gate at an Eidgah opposite a Hanuman Mandir. In the violence orchestrated by Islamists, several shops and vehicles were vandalised. During the stone pelting in the Sursagar area, several locals and police officials were injured. After the police arrived and dispersed the mob, they regrouped and started stone pelting.
It has now emerged that it was allegedly a planned attack. On Sunday, Jodhpur Police conducted a search operation in the affected area and recovered two trolleys of stones from the roofs of five houses. The Police have registered an FIR in the matter against 65 people. So far, the police have arrested 51 accused.
After the arrests, several women protested outside the police station claiming that the arrested individuals were not involved in stone pelting.
The police are monitoring the violence-hit area with drone cameras. Meanwhile, Section 144 has been imposed in five police station areas Pratap Nagar, Pratap Nagar Sadar, Devnagar, Rajiv Gandhi Nagar and Soorsagar in Jodhpur after stones were pelted by the mob and DCP West issued the order.
ADCP West Nishant Bhardwaj stated that two police officers were injured during the heavy stone pelting on Friday (21st June) night, while a woman lost her eyesight after being hit by a stone. The police then searched the houses and recovered two trolleys of stones.
Background of the Incident in Jodhpur
The violence erupted from a longstanding dispute between Hindu and Muslim communities over a gate being constructed at Eidgah near Rajaram Circle in Sursagar. The new gate is being opposed by the Hindu community as it’s in proximity to the Hanuman Temple. The construction of the gate sparked similar controversy 15 years ago and the project was halted.
On the evening of 21st June, one faction broke the previous agreement and resumed construction of the gate. When Hindus learned about it they gathered and staged protests. The two communities sat together and concluded that the gate would not be constructed. However, radicals in the Muslim community insisted that they would open the gate at any cost.
The arguments between the two communitles led to the clashing late at night. Stones were pelted for over two hours during the violence. One shop and tractor were burnt. A jeep was damaged. A Hindu woman identified as Lajwanti Gehlot was hit by a stone during the violence when she tried to fetch her grandson from the outside amidst the clash. She sustained an injury to her eye and was rushed to the hospital where the doctor informed her that she had lost vision in the injured eye. The authorities are monitoring the situation closely and have ensured that the law and order situation is under control.
