Bhopal: In the wake of Ram Navami disturbances in Madhya Pradesh’s Khargone and Sendhwa, Home Minister and government spokesman Narottam Mishra alleged on Monday that a few individuals “hurt” by the recent electoral outcome in five states are attempting to spark something from the backdrop and desire to vitiate peace in this state. “Even the results have not made them comprehend what the country wishes and the direction in which it wants to progress. We shall not allow the state’s communal atmosphere to be vitiated. Hooligans were attempting to make a major conspiracy successful in Khargone district headquarters but the police personnel’s valour prevented it. Seventy-seven arrests have been executed thus far. Peace prevails in that town where an adequate force is present and curfew not yet lifted. One aspect has to be made abundantly clear. Rioters are being ceaselessly identified and the dwelling from where the stones (that were hurled) were brought will itself be reduced to rubble. The government is uncompromising in this matter as nobody enjoys any right to impair the calm and we shall not tolerate any such attempt. The Superintendent of Police (Mr Sidharth Choudhary) sustained shrapnel injuries to a leg and six other personnel were injured. Civilian Shivam Shukla has a grievous head injury but nobody else is critical. There is no curfew in Barwani district’s Sendhwa and the situation is normal there as well,” Dr Mishra told reporters here. The Minister interacted over phone with the injured IPS officer. Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said that Ram Navami was celebrated with unprecedented fervour barring “an unfortunate incident” in Khargone. “Rioters shall not be spared and the strictest measures taken against them so that an example is set. Such criminals have no place whatsoever in this state. And action does not mean incarceration alone. Those who hurled stones and damaged property will not only be punished but also the entire loss to public or private property shall be recovered from them. We have passed the Prevention and Recovery of Damage to Public and Private Property Act, 2021. A claim tribunal is being constituted,” he told media representatives. UNI AC
