Chief Minister Ashok Singh Gehlot Wednesday evening took stock of the situation directing the administration to deal sternly with the rioters.
The local Congress MLA Zahida Begum told TIA on phone that a dispute over Qabristan (graveyard) land was going on from sometime but on Wednesday it took ugly when people of the two communities clashed in open. Police open fire on rioters that led to the killing of several people. Several shops have also been gutted in violence.
More than a dozen people, including some policemen also received gunshot wounds. Local authorities called in police reinforcements from nearby towns and even Jaipur and imposed a night curfew in many areas around Gopalgarh village, the epicentre of the violence. Three of the wounded were critical.
Ten companies of Rajasthan police and senior officers have been rushed to Bharatpur. Additional director general of police (Law and Order), Navdeep Singh said the companies were rushed from Jaipur. IG ML Lathar, DIG Anand Srivastav and 7 additional SPs were also deployed to handle the volatile mobs.
“I demand from the administration that the senior police officers in Bharatpur district be removed. There should be an inquiry by an independent agency into the incident,” MLA said.
Local Muslims have blamed that a group of Gujjars had usurped the graveyard and nearby Eidgaah land. They also barged into a mosque and beat up a local Imam. This triggered tension across several villages, including Nagar, Seekri, Gopalgarh and Pahari. Heavy police force was rushed to the spot but when the situation went out of control, police opened fire.
The situation on Thursday is also reportedly tense but under control in the district. “The situation is tense and heavy police force has been deployed to maintain law and order. We are in touch with members of the confronting groups and are urging them to maintain peace,” said Bharatpur district collector Kunal Kishore.
Photo: Navjyoti