In Jaipur, Rajasthan, a violent incident unfolded during a Sharad Purnima celebration organized by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) at a temple in Karni Vihar on Thursday, October 18, 2024. A group of RSS workers gathered to mark the occasion with traditional “kheer” distribution when they were attacked by armed individuals wielding knives. The attack left 10 RSS workers injured, some critically. The attack was led by one Naseeb Chaudhary, who along with his son has been detained by police.
The RSS had organized a religious program to celebrate Sharad Purnima, a significant Hindu festival marking the harvest moon, at a Shiv Mandir in Karni Vihar. Kheer was being distributed as prasad at the event amid the chants of Hanuman Chalisa. However, the religious event was disrupted when two men residing in the neighbourhood entered the venue and objected to the event. They cited noise and crowd at the event, and asked the event to be stopped.
This followed an argument with the organisers of the event, after which the two men called their associates to the temple. A group arrived carrying knives and other weapons at around 10 pm, and they started attacking the devotees. The attackers struck without warning, threw away the prasadam kheer on the ground, and stabbed the devotees targeting vital areas of the body like stomach and chest.
Several RSS workers sustained deep wounds from the knives, and were rushed to Sawai Man Singh (SMS) Hospital in Jaipur for treatment. The injured include Shankar Bagda, Murarilal, Ram Pareek, Lakhan Singh Jadoun, Pushpendra, and Dinesh Sharma.
Following the attack, a large number of RSS workers gathered outside the Karni Vihar police station, demanding immediate action. The incident triggered widespread outrage among the people. A case has been registered in the case against unidentified people under section 109 (attempt to murder) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
Police were quick to respond, and in a major development, two individuals, Naseeb Chaudhary and his son, were arrested in connection with the attack. Efforts are on to nab the other attackers.
Angered by the incident, massive protests erupted in the area, and the protestors blocked the Delhi-Ajmer National Highway for some time. However, the blockade was later lifted.
Talking about the incident, Assistant Commissioner of Police (Jaipur West) Alok Gautam said, “The incident occurred on Thursday night at a temple in Jaipur’s Karni Vihar during an event involving RSS members. Two local residents objected to the noise and crowd, sparking a confrontation with the RSS workers. The situation escalated when the two individuals called in more people from their group, resulting in an attack on the workers.”
The motive behind the attack is not known yet. But as per some accounts, it is related to land. BJP MLA Balmukund Acharya said that Naseeb Chaudhary is involved in land-grabbing activities, and that his house near the temple has been built illegally violating municipal corporation rules.
Congress leader Pratap Singh Khachariyawas said, “This is not a communal or religion related tiff, rather, is a personal land related feud between two groups who are followers of the same religion.”
