Tension simmered in the small town of Gopalganj in Bihar after a communal scuffle erupted between two groups during a ‘Mahaviri Jhanda’ procession near Chiktoli colony under Hathua police station limits on Sunday, October 01.
According to the reports, clashes erupted between two groups after stones were pelted near a mosque on a Mahaviri Julus passing from Chiktoli colony. The incident occurred on Sunday evening, leading to an altercation between two groups, leaving a few injured in the skirmish.
A video pertaining to the incident has also gone viral on social media in which a large crowd can be seen taking the procession from the area. In the viral video, a few people can be seen pelting stones on the crowd and vice versa, while a person in the procession can be heard narrating about the incident.
Now Mahaviri Shobhayatra is attacked in Bihar. Stones were pelted from a mosque…
Imagine the amount of outrage & media headlines if such stone pelting happens from any temple… just imagine…They've made such attacks so normal that now people don't even care about it. pic.twitter.com/zg28bRceEO
— Mr Sinha (@MrSinha_) October 1, 2023
It’s been reported that heavy deployment of police force has been made to the vicinity of the site where the clashes erupted and the police and administration are keeping a vigilant watch on the situation.
Taking to X (Twitter), the Gopalganj police in a press release informed that a few people sustained minor injuries after a scuffle broke out between two groups while taking the Mahaviri jhanda Procession. The situation is under control and Sub Divisional Police Officer (SDPO), Station House Officer (SHO) and Circle Inspector (CI), were rushed to the spot following which the procession has been taken forward and completed.
Adequate security personnel, along with officers, have been deployed and are guarding the site of skirmish round the clock. The culprits are being identified with the help of drones and other cameras, read the press note of police further.
Meanwhile, after the incident came to light a few more videos of the incidents also started doing the rounds on social media. In one of such videos, a police officer in uniform can be seen leading the procession from the front while raising slogans of the Akhada by which the procession has been organised, to which a few social media users objected to the conduct.
Clarifying the issue in another press note, the Gopalganj police informed that looking at the seriousness of the situation, the SDPO deputed at the spot opted to lead the procession from the area in view of preventing any untoward incident further.
There were around 20000 people, and the first priority for the police was to prevent any untoward incident between the communities, it seems not appropriate to raise slogans in police uniform, there will be an investigation, read further the press note issued by Gopalganj police.
Similar incidents in recent months
It is to be noted that Bihar has been making the headlines pertaining to incidents of communal flare-ups in recent times after a spurt in such incidents have been reported from the state.
Recently in another similar incident reported from Motihari of East Champaran acid like material was thrown on a Ganesha idol immersion procession by a few miscreants. The incident occurred when an idol immersion procession was being carried out from Dwardevi chowk towards Madhuban chowk under town police station limits on Thursday, September 28.
मोतिहारी में गणपति विसर्जन के दौरान बवाल। शोभायात्रा पर फेंका तेजाब। pic.twitter.com/Ks6VJVYWbK
— News18 Bihar (@News18Bihar) September 29, 2023
It was then reported that a few people poured acid-like materials on the people who were part of the procession near Madhuban chowk, leaving a few injured. The incident sparked a huge outrage among the locals, who gathered and demanded the arrest of the culprits involved in the act following which the police assured a quick action in the case and appealed to the injured people to come forward, if any.
In another case reported from Pipra of Motihari itself, stones were pelted by a group on the Mahaviri Jhanda Procession in August this year, leaving a dozen people injured, according to the reports. It was then claimed by a few that the stone pelting exercise was carried out in a synchronised manner when the procession was passing through a particular locality.
It is to be noted that the Mahagathbandhan-ruled state has witnessed a surge in communal flare-ups in recent times after incidents of a communal nature reported from separate districts, including Sasaram, Darbhanga, Nalanda, East Champaran and Gopalganj, leading to vandalism and rioting.
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