Ujjain: Villagers who pelted stones on govt team yet to be held

Ujjain (Madhya Pradesh): A huge mob attacked a team of police and administrative officials who arrived to clear encroachment in Jhitarkhedi village here on Friday evening. Nine police personnel were injured in the incident, a police car and JCB were damaged. Following this, sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) Sanjay Sahu left the scene in another vehicle to avoid being pelted. Despite registration of offences against stone pelters, none of them could be arrested.

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. According to reports, SDM Sahu, other officials and the police team went to Jhitarkhedi hamlet under Ghatiya sub-division to remove encroachment on government land. It is reported that an unidentified person had encroached half a bigha (1100 sq ft) of land near Babasaheb Ambedkar’s statue in the hamlet.

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 stones at the officials. ADM Santosh Tagore said that those who attacked the officials will be punished. Police registered cases under Section 353, 332, 146, 147, 149, 294 and 120-B of the IPC against about 20 persons.