On Thursday, 22nd August, Madhya Pradesh police took strict action against Islamists who pelted stones and created a ruckus in Chhatarpur Kotwali police station on Wednesday afternoon. The Muslims are believed to have protested against Ramgiri Maharaj from Maharashtra who allegedly made derogatory remarks about Prophet Mohammed last week.
The police registered a case against 150 people involved in the ruckus after the orders were issued by CM Mohan Yadav. The FIR includes 50 named and 100 other people who pelted stones at the police station injuring two officers. After this, Chief Minister of the state, Dr Mohan Yadav directed the police to take strict action against the culprits of this incident. Reportedly, the state administration began demolishing the houses of the accused who pelted stones at the Police at Kotwali Police Station.
As per the local reports, the bulldozer action is underway amid heavy police force and administration team present on the spot. As notified to the media, accused Haji Shahzad Ali’s house in Mastan Sahab Colony of Chhatarpur city was being demolished with the help of a bulldozer at the time of writing of this report.
Chief Minister Mohan Yadav wrote on X, ”Today an unfortunate incident took place in Chhattarpur district in which on receiving information about some policemen getting injured, I immediately got information about the incident from higher officials and gave instructions for proper treatment of the jawans. Madhya Pradesh is a ‘State of Peace’, anyone taking the law into their own hands in a planned manner will not be tolerated at all. I have given clear instructions to the senior police officials to identify the culprits quickly and take strict action against them so that such incidents do not recur in the future. It is our priority to maintain peace and harmony in the state.”
It is important to note that the members of the Muslim community in Chhatarpur demonstrated against Ramgiri Maharaj at around 4 pm on Wednesday. During this, the Muslims resorted to stone pelting and rioting, damaging some vehicles and injuring two police officers. Ramgiri Maharaj had allegedly made objectionable remarks targeting Prophet Mohammad and Islam last week. The Hindu saint during one of his sermons in Nashik, indicated that several Islamists have disrespected women in the past because of the religious doctrine they follow. The remarks sparked wide outrage in several districts of Maharashtra including Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Nashik, Mumbai, and Pune with several Islamist leaders and organizations filing FIRs against Ramgiri Maharaj for allegedly hurting the religious sentiments of Muslims.
Chhatarpur DIG Lalit Shakyawar said that about 300-400 people led by religious leaders Syed Haji Ali and Syed Javed Ali had come to the police station to submit a memorandum on Wednesday, 21st August. They were demanding to register a case against Ramgiri Maharaj, against whom several FIRs are already registered in Maharashtra.
Shakyawar said that the crowd suddenly became aggressive and started pelting stones, which continued for about ten minutes, after which the police had to fire tear gas shells to disperse the protesters. The DIG said that due to stone pelting, Kotwali police station in-charge Arvind Kujur has suffered serious injuries in his hand and head. He is undergoing treatment. Constable Bhupendra Prajapati has also been injured.
