Raman Singh’s son Abhishek, MP Santosh Pandey among 14 booked

93 people have been arrested so far

More than 14 people, including the son of former Chhattisgarh chief minister Raman Singh and MP Santosh Pandey, were booked for inciting mob to create communal violence at Lohara Naka in Kawardha, police said on Friday. A day after the brutal incident, communal riots took place again leading to major damage in Kawardha town, the administration was compelled to enforce a curfew to control the violence.

Two days ago, ADG and incharge Durg IG Vivekanand Sinha interacted with media over the incident and alleged the riot was preplanned and outsiders were called to engage in violence. There is involvement of BJP leaders in inciting the crowd, he alleged.

On Tuesday, police lodged an FIR against the unidentified miscreants and rioters including the BJP leaders under relevant IPC sections, including 109, 147, 148, 149, 153 and others for rioting and carrying out violence.

Speaking to the FPJ over the phone on Friday, Kawardha SP Mohit Garg said, both the BJP leaders, Santosh Pandey and ex-MP Abhishek Singh, son of Dr Raman Singh, were identified leading the mob which went berserk, spread violence in the area, leading to arson and major damages to the properties.

The violence first spread on Sunday when two religious groups clashed over hoisting of the flag. Police lodged the FIR on Tuesday, based on the complaint, information and evidence, the SP said.

In the case, so far 93 people were arrested. At present the situation in under control. Meanwhile, during the violence on Tuesday, around a dozen of people including 3 cops sustained minor injuries in the violence. However, MP Santosh Pandey, who was booked by Kawardha police, interacted with the media on Friday and refuted allegations that the rioting mob was sponsored. He alleged it was due to police biased action that the situation went out of control.