Madhya Pradesh was one of the several states that witnessed stone-pelting, arson and violence during this year’s Ram Navami celebrations where Hindu processions were attacked by Muslims. On Sunday, April 10, a Ram Navami procession that began in the Talab Chowk area of Khargone had to be abandoned midway after it came under a volley of stones. Several vehicles were set on fire.
The cops resorted to firing tear gas shells to bring the situation under control. During the orgy of violence, a total of 24 people were injured, including six police personnel. Even the Superintendent of Police (Khargone) Siddharth Chaudhary has sustained bullet injuries.
In an interview with Dainik Bhaskar, SP Siddharth Chaudhary remembered the day of the incident, when mayhem was unleashed on people taking part in the Ram Navami Shobha Yatra, with stone-pelting, arson, and violence in ‘Muslim-majority’ areas. He described his ordeal and how he and his officers were targeted by these radical elements.
The SP recalled how a miscreant wielding a sword had dashed toward the Hindus devotees. A police team of 12 to 15 officers attempted to apprehend the sword-wielding miscreant and were initially successful, but he soon managed to escape and flee. Then, as the SP attempted to catch up with him by running behind him, someone shot at his leg from behind. Chaudhary stated that at first, he thought someone had struck him with a stone. But one of his officers realised that the SP had been hit with a bullet. Despite suffering a head injury himself, the officer rushed the blood-soaked SP to the hospital.
According to Siddharth Chaudhary, the procession was slightly delayed because the main tableaux could not arrive at the scheduled time. By then it was time for the Muslims to offer Namaz. The situation deteriorated soon after that. He stated that the police were trying to move the tableaus forward, but some people from behind began throwing stones. Within no time some other miscreants barged the narrow lane and began setting vehicles and houses on fire. SP Siddharth Chaudhary recalled how, despite great difficulty, the policemen rescued the people trapped in the narrow lane.
Keeping in mind the volatile law and order situation, a curfew was imposed in the area. The SP stated that even the fire vehicle was attacked by some arsonists and the narrow lanes in the area made it extremely difficult for the police to escort the vehicles.
MP government cracks down on stone pelters
On April 11, the Khargone administration took strict action against the miscreants who had pelted stones at the Ram Navami procession on Sunday. The illegally constructed buildings were bulldozed by the administration. Five JCB machines were deployed for the task. Earlier, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan had hinted that the MP government would take strict action against those who were involved in stone-pelting, rioting and arson.
Multiple videos emerged on social media where JCB machines could be seen in action amid the presence of a heavy police force.
What happened in Khargone?
On April 10, a Ram Navami procession that began in the Talab Chowk area of Khargone had to be abandoned midway after it came under a volley of stones. Several vehicles were set on fire. The cops resorted to firing tear gas shells to bring the situation under control. During the orgy of violence, a total of 24 people were injured, including six police personnel.
