3 minors among 4, booked in MP for burning photos of Hindu gods: Police

The Madhya Pradesh police has arrested four people belonging to the Scheduled Caste (SC), three of whom are minors, for allegedly “trampling upon” and “burning” photos of Hindu gods and goddesses in Bundelkhand’s Chhatarpur, nearly 330km north east of Bhopal, officers said.

Police have booked the four under Sections 295A (outraging religious feelings) and 34 (common intention) of the IPC.

The incident, reported from Bharatpura village in Bijawar area of Chhatarpur, came to light after a video clip purportedly showing the group in the alleged act went viral on social media.

Shiv Shankar Mishra, police station in-charge, Bijawar, said the incident had happened around Holi, when Holika is burnt as part of a ritual.

“The act was shot by one of them on his mobile phone and the video clip later made its way to some WhatsApp groups and went viral,” the officer said.

Mishra added that one Sardar Singh from a local right-wing Hindu group in Bijawar complained about the matter on Friday, after which the police arrested the four and booked them under relevant sections.

Mishra said the three minors were produced in the juvenile court from where they were sent to Bal Sudhar Grah at Chhatarpur while the fourth person was produced before the court and sent to the local prison.

On Saturday, locals and members of right-wing groups staged a protest in Bijawar, and submitted a memorandum to the local officials demanding inquiry.

SAGAR/BHOPAL: A LOCAL RIGHTWING HINDU GROUP MEMBER COMPLAINED AFTER WHICH COPS ARRESTED THE FOUR, THREE OF WHOM ARE MINORS