MP: Ujjain cops, officials scurry for protection as mob of locals pelt stones at them; video goes viral

Ujjain (Madhya Pradesh): A huge mob attacked a team of police and administrative officials who arrived to clear encroachment in Jhitar Khedi village of Ujjain on Friday evening. Nine police personnel were injured nine in the incident, a police car and JCB were damaged. 

Following this, Sub Divisional Magistrate Sanjay Sahu left the scene in another vehicle to avoid being pelted.

In the video footage, a large mob of local residents, including women and children, can be seen pelting stones and smashing the glass windows of JCB. On the other hand, a police team is seen fleeing from the spot.

Large crowd pelted JCB with stones, causing damage

According to a report in NDTV, Sahu, other officials and the police team went to Jhitar Khedi hamlet of Ujjain to remove encroachment on government land; an unidentified person had encroached half a bigha of land (6,000 sq ft) near Babasaheb Ambedkar's statue in the hamlet.

Reportedly, the villagers had complained about the encroachment and were upset that they could not hold community programmes they did prior to it. Subsequently, SDM Sahu and his team reached the spot and cleared encroachment.

At the time of the officials' return, the villagers suddenly began pelting stone at the officials. The reasoning behind their actions is yet to be ascertained.

The Additional District Magistrate Santosh Tagore was quoted saying that those who attacked the officials will face punishment.