A young man was killed and three police personnel were injured when a fight between two teens escalated into a clash between members of two communities in Chhattisgarh’s Bemetara district on Saturday.
Following the violence, Biranpur — a village with a population of roughly 600 people and located almost 75 kilometres from the capital Raipur — was gripped with communal tension. The police had to use force to bring the situation under control. Prohibitory orders have been issued and heavy police deployment continues to be in place. As many as 11 people have been arrested for the violence.
According to the police, around 11 a.m., a 14-year-old boy was allegedly attacked by another juvenile from a different community with a sharp object and that triggered the violence.
“As the adults got involved, there was mobilisation of both the communities and a clash broke out between them. As people advanced from both sides and pelted stones at each other, police were also informed. However, when we were trying to convince them, three policemen — including a sub-inspector — were also attacked. Before the two sides could step back, one person who had sustained serious injuries was found lying in the cluster inhabited by members of a different community. He was taken to a hospital where he was declared brought dead,” a senior police officer said.
The deceased has been identified as Bhuneshwar Sahu, 23.
There are multiple claims about the sequence of events leading up to the murder, the officer said. While the members of the community the deceased hailed from told the police that he was taken by a mob and killed with sharp objects, the other group claimed that he had gone there to attack women and was killed in retaliatory action.
The violence meanwhile continued even two hours after the body was retrieved. “Despite persuasion, the police had to use force to bring the situation under control. Section 144 of the CrPC has been imposed.”
“We have registered an FIR for murder with rioting at Saja police station and arrested 11 people from one community. Another FIR for rioting will be registered against the members of the other community,” the officer said.
Tense history
It has also emerged that 12-13 inter-faith marriages in the village over the past couple of years have frequently caused tension, straining relations between the two communities. Police intervention was often necessitated.
Speaking to The Hindu, the senior police officer prima-facie ruled out any direct co-relation between Saturday’s violence and any other incident from the past, but acknowledged that as a backdrop to the clash.
