Ujjain : Police and civil administration remained on toes on Monday night following the communal tension in some parts of the city. Section 144 of CrPC was clamped under the jurisdiction of four police stations. Offences were registered against the antisocial elements. At least a dozen people, including a BJP corporator, a police officer and a news channel camera person sustained injuries during the violence.
As per reports, panic gripped Chhatri Chowk area at about 7 pm, when groups of two communities, mainly teenagers and youths, indulged in verbal duel over passage of Durga idol procession from Jama Masjid Road. Onlookers said that namaz was being offered in the masjid and some youngsters objected on the DJ sounds during the Durga idol procession. The procession was on the way from Valmiki Basti to Ram Ghat. After a heated arguments, both sides reportedly indulged in manhandling during which a mob comprising about 200 person beat the youngsters black and blue.
These developments led to communal tension. Supporters of the other group immediately swung into action and vandalised some shops of Chhatri Chowk area. They reportedly overturned the go-carts of fruit and khomcha vendors. In the mean time, police also reached at the spot and somehow managed to give a safe passage to the idol procession.
The disturbances forced the traders and shopkeepers to close their shutters. Within 10 minutes, all commercial and trading activities of almost entire old city came to halt. Stone pelting incidents were reported from three to four places. Members of both the communities started assembling at hyper sensitive areas and also shouted objectionable slogans. But, police did not allow any of them to come face to face.
When Collector Kavindra Kiyawat and SP Anurag Kumar reached Gopal Mandir area, the situation highly tense as hundreds of people from both the communities came face to face. The authorities had to spend about an hour to engage both sides and to pacify them gradually. Collector enforced the prohibitory orders at about 8.30 pm under the jurisdiction of four police stations, namely the Central Kotwali, Kharakuan and Mahakal police stations. Before police could control the situation, at least three shops were damaged at Lakherwadi area by pelting stones. Reserved Inspector Kiran Sharma also sustained arm injury during stone pelting at Topkhana area.
In the meantime, the angry mob tried to move towards Shahi Masjid and some of them damaged banners, cut-outs, etc. Some miscreants threw a bag containing glass bottles on a news channel camera person Ajay Patwa. He was injured in the attack and was rushed to the Civil Hospital. Police officers also shifted a youth in their vehicle from Gudri Square, who was praying to save his life from the mob. By 9 pm, the administration succeeded in bringing the situation under control. IG V Madhu Kumar conducted inspection of the situation. He told media persons that the prohibitory order has been extended to Jiwajiganj police circle as well. He said a detailed investigation would be carried out into the incident.
At about 9.30 pm, when some persons on behalf of the victims were lodging FIR against the accused at Jivagigang police station, some anti-socials again started disturbing the communal harmony. BJP corporator Rajat Mehta was beaten black and blue by the policemen near Khade Hanuman Mandir. It was followed by stone pelting near Mahakal Ghati area. Till filing of this report, the situation was tense but under control. All senior police and administrative officers were maintaining vigil over the situation.
