Stonepelting during Milad procession leaves CO injured
VARANASI : A circle officer was injured during large-scale stonepelting during the procession of Eid Milad-un-Nabi in Mukeri Bazar area of Mirzapur district, on Wednesday evening, police said.
According to police sources, the stone pelting began after some anti-social elements hurled stones at people participating in the procession when it was passing through Mukeri Bazar area, sparking tension. Anti-social elements also vandalised an ATM at Pehti intersection and damaged a bike. They also tried to break the shutters of the shops in the area. Reports of incidents of ransacking have also come in from Ghataghar, Basnahi Bazar, Teliaganj, Laldiggi areas of the city.
Police said that during the stone-pelting, a projectile hit CO (Naxal) Sanjay Singh in the face, injuring him seriously. District magistrate Anurag Patel and superintendent of police Shalini reached the spot with a heavy police force, resorted to cane charge and brought the situation under control. SP Shalini said, “The situation is normal. Police has been deployed in the area as a preventive measure and the force has been asked to remain on high alert,” adding that strict action would be taken against elements trying to vitiate the atmosphere of the city.
Stone-pelting also occurred in Mukeri Bazar area during a VHP procession. When the procession reached the bazaar, a flag in the procession got entangled with the decoration done by people of another community in the Bazar area and damaged some flowers and a bit of decoration.
People from the other community asked the VHP men to lower the flag, which the latter refused. It led to manhandling between those participating in the VHP procession and people from the other community. Later, stonepelting ensued, leading to panic.
Senior administrative officials reached the spot and brought the situation under control. In this connection, the SP suspended three cops, including station officer Katra Inspector Santosh Singh and two constables for dereliction of duty. The SP said that a probe has been ordered into the matter. He said that a case had been registered in this connection and five persons had been taken into custody for interrogation. A senior police officer said that VHP members took out the procession without permission. However, VHP workers claimed that they sought permission from a magistrate.