Normalcy returns to Chamba town

DHARAMSHALA: After three days of sectarian violence, normalcy prevailed in Tissa area of Himachal Pradesh’s Chamba district on Tuesday.

Angry mob had ransacked public and private property in the region after two communities clashed over a rape case. On Monday, the police resorted to lathicharge to disperse the crowd.

Following this, the angry mob pelted the cops with stones injuring five policemen, including an assistant superintendent of police rank officer.

Chamba deputy commissioner Sudesh Kumar Mokhta and superintendent of police had camped overnight in Tissa on Monday to oversee the law and order.

Besides this, police personnel were deployed in large number to avoid any untoward incident.

However, schools and markets in the region remained closed on Tuesday as a precautionary measure. The DC said since the situation is under control, schools will reopen on Wednesday. He also informed that the administration had convened a meeting of the locals which was attended by members of the two communities.

“Situation is under control. We convened a meeting of the two communities and both of them have agreed to resolve things amicably and maintain peace,” Mokhta said.

He added, “An inquiry has been initiated into the attack on teachers at the school in Khushinagar and the violence that took place on Sunday and Monday.”

Bhatiyat sub-divisional magistrate Ashwani Sood and station house officer (SHO) Tissa, Dinesh Dhiman, will conduct the probe.

Violent protests had rocked Tissa region after a government school teacher was booked for allegedly raping a Class-11 student from another community.

Although the teacher was arrested on July 27 and sent to police custody, members of the girl’s community reportedly manhandled some other teachers of the school on Saturday.