Madhya Pradesh: Claims tribunal members to visit violence-hit Khargone today

Khargone (Madhya Pradesh): Two members of a claims tribunal, set up to assess and recover damages from those involved in communal violence during the Ramnavami celebrations in Khargone, will visit the town on Tuesday, officials said. The claims tribunal head, retired district judge Dr Shivkumar Mishra, and its member Prabhat Parashar- retired state secretary, will visit Khargone on Tuesday, said an order issued by Additional Collector S S Mujalda.

Local administration relaxed the curfew in Khargone for nine hours - from 8 am to 5 pm - for the third consecutive day on Monday allowing opening of the mandi. Violence had taken place in Khargone on April 10, following which curfew was clamped in the city.

The Madhya Pradesh government earlier this month constituted the two-member claims tribunal, as per provisions of the Public and Private Property Recovery Act-2021, for hearing cases pertaining to the assessment of damages during the violence in Khargone city. The order also stated that staffers have been deputed to help the claims tribunal.

Since April 14, the local administration has been relaxing the curfew for some hours. As per the district administration's order, the curfew relaxation will not be applicable to petrol pumps, religious places and for the sale of kerosene from Public Distribution System (PDS) shops.

During the curfew relaxation period, shops selling milk, vegetables, medical stores, and barber shops among others, are allowed to remain open.

Communal clashes had erupted in Khargone city during the Ram Navami celebration on April 10, during which shops and houses were damaged, vehicles torched and stones hurled. So far, 64 FIRs have been registered in connection with the violence and 175 people have been arrested. However, such videos could be another matter of concern for the administration.

Villagers take oath not to buy stuff from 'Vidharmi'

Admin takes note of video making rounds on social media, to take appropriate action

Even as the violence-hit Khargone is limping back to normalcy, a video surfaced on social media on Monday about some villagers administering an oath not to purchase anything from ëVidharmií traders in Ubdi village. The video, which seems to have been shot around 5-6 days ago at Ubdi village situated around 15-kilometre away from Khargone district headquarters, surfaced on social media on Monday. The administration has taken note of the video and assured appropriate action in this connection. †

In the video of Gayatri Parivar members are seen administering oath to the people to take pledge from the day that they will not buy clothes, slippers or any other items from the shops of the ëVidharmií (a person whose religious beliefs are believed to be wrong or evil), nor will sell any of their goods to them. The villagers in the video are heard saying, ìO Mahakal, grant us the right strength and attitude to fulfil our resolveî.

Sub-divisional magistrate Milind Dhoke has admitted that such a video is making rounds on some social media groups. Through the video, it has come to their notice that the oath was administered by Gayatri pariwar in Ubdi village and this is being investigated. Action will be initiated following the completion of the investigation.