Tensions gripped the Mochipura area of the Ratlam city in Madhya Pradesh during a Ganesh procession that a stone had been pelted at the idol late on Saturday night.
The idol was being carried for installation as part of the 10-day Ganesh festival when allegations of stone pelting surfaced.
Nearly 500 people gathered at the Station Road police station on the same night demanding the arrest of an unidentified person who pelted stones at the idol.
Police registered a case against the unidentified person and reached the spot for further investigation. A police official said that the crowd followed the police to the scene.
Reportedly, when police were at the scene, an anonymous person threw stones again which escalated the tensions quickly. The mob started stone pelting soon after during which the glass of the vehicle belonging to the police was also broken.
Videos of the mob surfaced on the internet. In a particular video, the mob had gathered around a masjid and were heard sloganeering, “Desh ke ghaddaron ko goli maro salon ko” (Shoot the anti-nationals).
Police responded with a lathi charge and tear gas to disperse the crowd. Security was tightened to prevent further escalation.
All the CCTV footage from the area was reviewed and no evidence of stone pelting during the Ganesh procession was found. SP Rahul Lodha confirmed and said, “The idol was not damaged.”
Speaking to The Observer Post, Rehan, a local, alleged, “It was a plan to create communal tensions in the area, the stone pelting didn’t happen at all.”
“Those who gathered at the station were mostly from Bajrang dal and they created chaos later at the scene.”
Nearly 150 FIRs were lodged and three people were held after the crowd pelted stones at cops.
The situation is under control, confirmed the police officers.
