Chamba communal clash: ASP, 4 cops hurt; shops damaged
DHARAMSHALA: Communal tensions prevailed in Tissa sub-divison of Himachal Pradesh’s Chamba district on Monday as two communities clashed over a rape case. Five police personnel, including assistant superintendent of police (ASP) Virender Thakur, were injured after an angry mob pelted them with stones as the police resorted to lathicharge to disperse them.
Thakur sustained five stitches on his head. Two other cops were rushed to Chamba civil hospital.
Members of one community vandalised houses, shops and about two dozen motorcycles of the other community in Khushinagar. Besides this, several protesters, including women, were injured in the lathicharge and clash that ensued.
WHY THE CLASH
A government school teacher in Khushinagar is accused of raping a Class-11 student of another community for a year. It is further alleged that he threatened the girl of failing her in exams if she informs anyone about it.
Although the teacher was arrested on Thursday and sent to police custody by a local court, members of the girl’s community reportedly manhandled some other teachers of the school on Saturday. Angered over this, members of the other community attacked shops and houses of the girl’s community.
On Sunday too, the Tissa police station was pelted with stones and some shops were set on fire. Chamba deputy commissioner Sudesh Mokhta and superintendent of police (SP) Virender Tomar rushed to the spot. The situation was said to be “under control” on Monday. The issue took a communal turn when people protesting against the manhandling of the other teachers started pelting police with stones and vandalising shops and property belonging to the girl’s community. Besides this, public property was also set on fire at Bhanjraru market in the area. The protesters were demanding action against those who attacked the teachers on Saturday. On Monday, another protest was staged in Khushinagar. The mob of protesters allegedly marched towards the house of chairperson of the local Haj committee and Congress leader Dildar Ali Batt, who had allegedly instigated the attack on teachers on Saturday.
Earlier, Tissa DSP MS Minhas said that four people have been arrested for attacking the teachers while 11 others have been booked for the violence on Sunday. Police are yet to register a case into the incident on Monday.
VIRBHADRA SKIPS CHAMBA VISIT
Meanwhile, owing to the unrest, chief minister Virbhadra Singh cancelled his scheduled visit to Chamba on Monday. The chief minister accused the RSS and BJP of “fanning communal violence” in Tissa.
“When polls approach, the BJP resorts to such tactics,” Virbhadra said, adding that the Opposition also “tried to disrupt” law and order situation in Shimla after the Kotkhai rape and murder case. He also said that strict action will be taken against those trying to disrupt communal harmony in Tissa.
“Situation in Tissa is presently under control. Strict action will be taken against those who disrupted communal harmony. My visit was not cancelled due to the unrest but owing to bad weather and paucity of time,” he said.