Communal Clash in Jodhpur: Muslims pelted stones at Hindus when stopped from constructing illegal gates at Eidgah

In Sursagar, Jodhpur, Rajasthan, a violent clash erupted between a Friday Frenzy mob and the Hindu community over an illegal construction on disputed land. The tensions escalated dramatically when mobs from the Muslim side started hurling stones, sparking retaliation that led to hours of riotous unrest.

Amidst the chaos, a shop was set ablaze, intensifying the volatile situation. The Jodhpur police swiftly responded to the escalating violence but found themselves engulfed in the clash, facing attacks with petrol bombs from the agitated mob. Realising the gravity of the situation, the police urgently called for reinforcements, eventually managing to bring the situation under control after a prolonged struggle.

The root of the recent clashes lies in a longstanding agreement made 15 years ago between the Hindu and Muslim communities concerning the disputed land. The conflict reignited when the Muslim side violated this agreement by commencing illegal construction activities. In response, the Hindu community opposed these actions, leading to a violent confrontation characterised by brick-throwing and escalating tensions.

According to a report by Hindi daily Patrika, the volatile situation in Sursagar worsened on a Friday night when a dispute over removing gates from the Eidgah wall erupted into sudden violence. Amidst the turmoil, a police officer sustained injuries. Authorities responded decisively, dispersing the crowd with batons and firing 4-5 rounds of tear gas. Substantial reinforcements from the police and RAC were deployed to quell the unrest. By late night, the situation was brought under control, although tensions remained palpable, leading to the detention of several individuals.

The initial conflict arose from attempts to remove gates located at the rear of the Eidgah near Rajaram Circle, prompting strong opposition from local residents and resulting in direct confrontations between opposing groups.

As the night progressed, the situation escalated further with incidents of stone-pelting, arson attacks, and widespread vandalism. Police intervention, including lathi charges, prompted fleeing troublemakers to set a tractor ablaze, necessitating the use of tear gas to restore order.

Late-night house-to-house searches resulted in the apprehension of approximately 15-20 youths. Both factions involved filed counter FIRs, alongside a case registered by the police. Police Commissioner Rajendrasingh stated that the immediate cause of the violence remains unclear, but emphasised that the situation is now stabilised.

Following negotiations between five representatives from each group around 9:30 PM, an agreement was reached to close the disputed gates, leading to the peaceful dispersal of both factions to their respective homes. Police continued to maintain a presence in the area.

However, around 10:15 PM, a sudden outbreak of stone-pelting by 10-12 Islamists in the commercial district reignited tensions. This sparked retaliatory stone-pelting from the opposing group. Additionally, one faction set fire to Raees’s broom and grass shop, resulting in its complete destruction. Firefighters were called to the scene to extinguish the blaze, which also caused sparks igniting a nearby house gate.

Upon learning of the incident, Police Commissioner Rajendra Singh, along with DCP East (also overseeing West) Alok Srivastava and DCP Headquarters Sharad Chaudhary, promptly arrived at the scene, accompanied by a substantial police force, RAC, STF teams, and fire trucks.

During this time, Surasagar MLA Devendra Joshi and City MLA Atul Bhansali also visited the location and briefed Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma on the situation. MLA Joshi commented, “There was an earlier dispute in the evening that subsided, but later in the night, tensions over the gate on the wall of a religious building escalated, leading to stone-pelting. Such incidents in Kishangarh, Pali, and now Jodhpur hint at growing dissatisfaction with Bhajan Lal Sharma’s government. This appears to be a planned conspiracy. The police must take strict action against those instigating religious sentiments.”

The incident resulted in injuries, including those sustained by Inspector Nitin Dave. Several individuals were detained, and one young man was injured while fleeing from the police, requiring hospitalisation.