How a Madhya Pradesh Town Averted a Communal Clash Before Eid

Even though two idols had been vandalised, Burhanpur residents left matters to police. CCTV footage showed that a BJP leader’s nephew had destroyed the idols.

Bhopal: Three weeks after communal clashes broke out in Madhya Pradesh’s Khargone following Ram Navami rallies, people of Burhanpur – 160 kilometres away – together foiled an attempt to begin similar communal violence in the town on the eve of Eid Ul Fitr.

On Monday, May 2, one Satish Chouhan (28) allegedly vandalised idols of Hanuman and Ram in a temple at Maliwada. The incident allegedly took place between 6 to 8 pm.

Residents of the town, which saw bloody riots in 2008, informed Superintendent of Police (SP) Rahul Kumar Lodha at around 8 pm and demanded a fair probe.

Eight people died in the 2008 riots, in which more than 25 people were injured and over 60 shops were ransacked or set on fire.

The violence had taken place during a three-day ‘Balaji Mela’ in which a ‘chariot’ with a Hanuman idol was taken through thoroughfares of the town.

“Around 8 pm, police got information that two idols were vandalised in Maliwada locality. I rushed to the spot and formed four teams to probe,” said SP Lodha over the phone.

As rumours spread through the town, Amit Varude, a local Bharatiya Janata Party leader, reached Maliwada soon after and began blaming Muslims for the vandalism. SP Lodha was present then, alleged an eyewitness. A senior policeman asked Varude to not instigate violence or level baseless allegations as an investigation was already underway.

Also read | Khargone: Communal Violence Leaves Many Displaced, State Action Targets Muslims

SP Lodha eventually ordered an FIR to be registered under Section 295 (injuring or defiling place of worship with intent to insult the religion of any class) of the Indian Penal Code at Kotwali police station. After analysing CCTV footage of over an hour, police identified the attacker as Satish Chouhan, nephew of local BJP leader Prahlad Chouhan and arrested him from his house at 1 am.

Police interrogation revealed that Satish is a carpenter and lives with his brother, who runs a pan stall in the city, and a cousin, Sachin.

SP Lodha told The Wire, “With the help of CCTV footage we succeed in arresting the accused with hours of the incident and averted a communal clash. He was sent to jail next day.”

The following morning, police issued a press note with Satish’s photo on social media saying an attempt to instigate riots on the eve of Eid has been foiled by the police and a 28-year-old man has been arrested for vandalising idols.

When asked about Satish’s association with the BJP and questions on his mental health, the SP replied, “He is a nephew of local BJP leader Prahlad Chouhan. As far as his mental health is a concern, we found that he had been in touch with a doctor for it at times. Further probe is on.”

The following day, a delegation of locals and Congress leaders met with SP Lodha and handed over one page memorandum thanking him for preventing the riot and demanded action against those who were trying to instigate such violence.

Speaking over the phone, former Congress district president Ajay Raghuwanshi said, “We urged action against BJP leader Amit Varude who is constantly trying to instigate violence here.”

 

Referring to a three-day old incident that took place near Shivshishu Mandir School, Raghuwanshi said, “Amit was trying to paint a trivial fight of teenagers as a communal incident but prompt response of senior police prevented a flare up here as well.”

SP Lodha told The Wire that under Section 108 of the Criminal Code Procedure, Varude had been summoned to fill a bond of over Rs 2 lakh and assure police that he will not repeat such an offence in the future. “If he breaches the bond, he will be sent to jail for upto one year under Section 122 of the IPC.”

Almost two days after the incident, on May 4, former MP from Khandwa, Arun Yadav, held a press conference in Bhopal and blamed the BJP government for instigating the riot for political benefits, pointing to Satish and Varude’s associations with the BJP.

Referring to Khargone’s communal clash, Yadav alleged that BJP was trying to create turmoil in regions where they lost in 2018 assembly elections. This is BJP’s third attempt – after Khargone and Sendhwa – where it faced defeat in the 2018 assembly elections.

 

“When the government has failed on every front, and inflation is skyrocketing and elections are ahead, they are trying to polarise voters on religious lines,” he told reporters.

(With inputs from Kashif Kakvi)