By Pervez Bari, TwoCircles.net
Bhopal: Uneasy calm prevailed in Sarangpur, a small town in Rajgarh district about 150 kms from Madhya Pradesh’s capital Bhopal, on Thursday where a religious Rangpanchmi procession passing near Jama Masjid ran amuck on Wednesday pelting stones which damaged several houses of Muslims.
Immediately after the incident the district administration promulgated Section 144 Cr.P.C. debarring assembly of more than five people at one place. The police had to resort to lobbing tear-gas shells and firing in the air to control the situation. The situation in the town has been described tense but under control.
Media reports said that 11 persons, including SDOP, Sarangpur were injured in stone-pelting incident on Rangpanchmi procession by unidentified elements. However, a section of local media blamed Muslims for indulging in stone-pelting.
The Muslims of the town, especially the residents of Rangerwari locality just opposite the Jama Masjid, are in a state of shock as after the unruly incident police raided their houses last night and arrested 16 youths. Two youths, however, were later released.
Amin Khan of Sarangpur told this correspondent that in the dead of night in the wee hours today from 1 a.m. to 4 p.m. municipal corporation authorities demolished portions of about six to seven houses situated opposite Jama Masjid with the help of bull-dozer in the name of removing encroachments to instill fear in the Muslim community.
When the Masjid Committee president went to police station to lodge FIR (First Information Report) he was reportedly sent back by Superintendent of Police Dilip Arya saying he would be called later on to file the report. Later, a memorandum was presented to the District Collector Shivanand Dube protesting against the incident and questioning the timing of removing encroachments in the town. ([email protected])