Chhattisgarh: Biranpur tense a day after communal clash; VHP calls for state bandh on Apr 10-chasing this poor source network

Chhattisgarh: Biranpur tense a day after communal clash; VHP calls for state bandh on Apr 10

2023-11-30 18:06:45source：zop

A day after a communal clash in Biranpur village in Bemetara district of Chhattisgarh left one person dead and three policemen injured, the situation remained tense on Sunday while a huge posse of police personnel was deployed to avoid any flare-up.

Chhattisgarh: Biranpur tense a day after communal clash; VHP calls for state bandh on Apr 10

The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) called for a statewide bandh on Monday even as the opposition BJP and the kin of the deceased blamed the police for the incident.

Chhattisgarh: Biranpur tense a day after communal clash; VHP calls for state bandh on Apr 10

All roads leading to the village have been barricaded by the police and senior police and district administration officials have been camping in the village since Saturday.

Chhattisgarh: Biranpur tense a day after communal clash; VHP calls for state bandh on Apr 10

Meanwhile, the last rites of the deceased man were performed by his family members and villagers on Sunday amid tight security.

Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel has appealed to people to maintain peace.

Also Read | One dead, curfew imposed as communal tensions flare in Chhattisgarh district

The violence in Biranpur with a population of around 1,300, located around 60 km away from Bemetara, erupted after a fight between some schoolchildren on Saturday.

A village resident, Bhuvneshwar Sahu (23), was killed while three policemen sustained injuries in the violence that prompted the local administration to impose section 144 of the CrPC, which bars assembly of four or more people, in the area.

“The final rites of the deceased man were performed peacefully with the support of his kin, villagers and administration officials. The law and order situation is still not normal in the village. The administration and police officials will review the situation following which further action plans will be chalked out to maintain peace in the village and adjoining areas,” Bemetara collector PS Alma said.

Commissioner of Durg Division Mahadeo Kawre said around 800 police personnel have been deployed in the village to maintain law and order.

Senior officials, including the Inspector General of Police (Durg range) and four Superintendents of Police (SPs) have been camping in the village to monitor the situation which is under control, he added.

When asked about the violence, CM Baghel told reporters in Raipur that the incident should not have happened. “I appeal to people to maintain peace”.

“The incident was the fallout of a fight between two children and a youth got killed (in the subsequent violence). Action is being taken based on complaints and the administration has been keeping an eye on the situation,” he added.

Meanwhile, family members of the deceased Sahu demanded capital punishment for perpetrators.

“The murderers of my son should be given death punishment”, said Ishwar Sahu, father of the deceased.

If the accused are released from jail they will commit the same crime and therefore they should be hanged, he added.

Ishwar Sahu said the incident could have been averted had the police acted in time. “For a long time, they had been planning to target Hindus in the village,” he said.

BJP MP from Durg, Vijay Baghel, and other leaders of the party visited Biranpur village on Sunday and demanded the police search houses of Muslims in the village to look for weapons.

“Incidents of love jihad have happened in Biranpur in the past and people have complained about it to police but no action has been taken,” Vijay Baghel claimed and added the negligence of police caused the death of the 23-year-old youth.

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The district administration and police should constitute a probe committee to investigate the entire matter, he added.

Police have lodged a case under sections 147 (punishment for rioting), 148 (Whoever is guilty of rioting, being armed with a deadly weapon), 149 (unlawful assembly), 307 (attempt to murder) and 302 (Punishment for murder) of the Indian Penal Code for violence and arrested 11 people so far, officials said.