BHOPAL: Curfew was imposed in areas covering three police stations - Gautam Nagar, Tilajamalpura and Hanumanganj on Sunday morning following a High Court order that came in favour of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) over 30,000 square feet of land. The curfew will remain in force till further orders.
The High Court order follows a 30-year-old dispute between Muslims and RSS over land near latter’s office - Keshav Needam - in Sindhi Colony that falls under Gautam Nagar police station.
RSS owns a plot adjacent to its office that has a burial ground and a mazaar. After High Court order, RSS began fencing its plot and the burial ground and mazaar are to be removed.
Anticipating communal unrest, district administration imposed curfew shutting down all business establishments except medical stores, milk shops in three police station areas.
Advocate Ravi Goel associated with Sangh said the dispute is over 30,000 square feet of land, which as per court order belongs to RSS. Muslims had encroached up on it stating it is their land. Earlier, RSS had won the case in district court. Muslims appealed in High Court where they lost again as the decision came in RSS’s favour.
“As a result, RSS started fencing its 30,000 square feet of land. For security purpose, administration has imposed curfew in three police station areas,” Goel said.
Besides, prohibitory orders under Section 144 of Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) have been imposed in 11 other police station areas-Shahjahanabad, Chhola Mandir, Nishatpura, Talaiya, Mangalwara, Ashoka Garden, Aishbagh, Jahangirabad, Station Bajaria, Berasia and Najirabad.
“ Mazaar will remain intact. RSS is removing other encroachments from land,” Deputy Inspector General, Bhopal, Irshad Wali said. He told reporters that police have barricaded these areas and security personnel have been deployed there.
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