Section 144 Imposed in Madhya Pradesh City

Bhopal: Tension prevailed in a Madhya Pradesh city following attack on a religious procession by a group of miscreants belonging to a particular community, leading to imposition of prohibitory orders under CrpC Section 144 in the area, police said on Tuesday.

A religious procession was taken out in district headquarters of Shajapur ahead of January 22 Ram temple consecration ceremonies in Ayodhya, late on Monday evening.

A group of people belonging to a minority community stopped the procession at a particular point in the city asking the participants not to pass through their area, police said.

A clash broke out between them.

Later, stones were pelted at the procession leading to injuries to several 

participants, police said.

A police team led by the Kotwali police station in-charge Brijesh Mishra rushed to the spot to take the situation under control.

"Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) has been imposed



with immediate effect in three areas- Magaria, Kachhiwada and Lalpura (in the city). A case has been registered against miscreants and further legal action is being taken", Shajapur district collector Riju Bafna said.

While 24 people have been booked in connection with the incident, eight of them have so far been arrested, police said.

"The situation is tense, but under control", a senior district police officer said.

Ujjain divisional commissioner Sanjay Goyal and inspector general Santosh Kumar Singh reached the spot to take stock of the situation.

The miscreants attacked the participants in the procession with swords and stones were thrown at them from rooftops, the FIR registered on a complaint by one Mohit Rathore, who was part of the religious procession, said.

Dewas MP Mahendra Solanki visited the affected areas on Tuesday and held a meeting with the local police officers to take stock of the situation.