Communal Clash in Jodhpur: 51 Arrested After Stones Hurled at Cops, Section 144 Imposed

Several people including two police officers were injured after communal violence erupted in the Soorsagar area here over the construction of an eidgah gate, officials said on Saturday.

Police Commissioner Rajendra Singh said 51 people have been arrested so far in connection with the Friday night incident, and prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the CrPC have been imposed in areas under six police stations.

Jodhpur West DCP Rajesh Kumar Yadav said the clash began Friday night over the construction of a gate in the rear side of an eidgah near Rajaram Circle in Soorsagar. The tension escalated and some people hurled stones, injuring two police officers, he said.

The residents of the locality opposed the construction of the gate on the backside of the eidgah saying that it would increase the movement of people in that area.

According to police, the construction began on Friday evening. The subsequent confrontation turned violent later with stone-pelting, arson and vandalism.  ”A shop and a tractor were set on fire while a jeep was vandalised,” a senior police officer said.

DCP Yadav said the police dispersed people to their homes by using batons and fired 4-5 rounds of tear gas shells.

While charging at the crowd, police had to face a barrage of stones hurled at them, which for a moment blocked their advancement.

A brief peace was also worked out by the police with the help of senior members from both communities but sudden stone-pelting turned the situation tense again.  According to police, stones were thrown from houses in the areas including Vyapariyon ka Mohalla, Ambon ka Bagh and Subhash Chowk.

Efforts are on to identify the houses from where stones were hurled at the police when they tried to disperse the mob, they said.

The police commissioner said that the situation is under control and police have been deployed in the entire area. Two FIRs were filed based on complaints from both sides.

“We have imposed CrPC Section 144 and arrested 51 people so far,” he said.

Police said people from both sides have been taken into custody and teams are still raiding houses in the locality to apprehend suspects.  Another FIR has been filed by the police’s side under several provisions of law, including perpetrating violence, causing interference in the government’s work, damaging public property, disturbing communal harmony and rioting, they said.