Three injured after stone-pelting outside Ganesh Puja pandal in Madhya Pradesh's Burhanpur

BHOPAL: At least three persons were hurt in stone pelting by a mob outside a Ganesh Puja pandal in Biroda village of southwestern Madhya Pradeshs Burhanpur district on Sunday night. So far seven persons have been arrested in connection with the Sunday night violence in Biroda village which falls under the jurisdiction of Lalbag police station. Police are identifying more accused through the CCTV footages. In the Biroda village, all Ganesh idols had been immersed, but due to Sunday's lunar eclipse, immersion of one idol was put off for Monday. A special Hanuman Chalisa recital was organised outside the pandal housing the idol. Just after the Hanuman Chalisa recital ended, a mob of villagers hailing from the other community allegedly hurled stones outside the Ganesh Puja pandal resulting in injuries to at least three villagers. Some others also sustained slight injuries in the violence. Being informed about the incident, police personnel rushed to the village to bring the situation under control. Drone cameras were also used during the intervening night of Sunday and Monday to monitor the situation. Detailing about the incident, the Burhanpur district police superintendent Ashutosh Bagri said, As many as seven persons involved in stone pelting have been arrested so far. More accused are being identified through the CCTV footage. Police deployments are in place and the situation is under control. Besides, the district police force, special task force (STF) of the state police too has been deployed in the village, a senior Burhanpur district police officer said. Local BJP MLA and former MP minister Archana Chitnis reached the Lalbag police station on Sunday night only. She alleged that last year also, a similar incident had happened in the same village, but the police failed to act sternly, which has resulted in violence again.