The Aryavarth Express
Agency (New Delhi): Several cars, motorcycles, and a government building were set ablaze after a protest by the Satnami community turned violent in Balodabazar, Chhattisgarh, on Monday. The demonstration was in response to the desecration of a religious pillar, prompting authorities to impose prohibitory orders.
The protest, called by the Satnami community to condemn the vandalism of their sacred structure, saw significant unrest, with several police personnel injured in the ensuing chaos. Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai was updated on the situation by the chief secretary and the Director General of Police.
The Balodabazar-Bhatapara district administration imposed Section 144 of the CrPC, prohibiting the assembly of four or more people, rallies, and processions in Balodabazar city. On the night of May 15-16, unidentified individuals vandalized a ‘jaitkhamb’ near Amar Gufa in Giroudpuri dham, a structure revered by the Satnami community.
Local police arrested three individuals for their alleged involvement, but the community demanded a central agency probe. In response to the incident, the Satnami community organized a demonstration at Dussehra Maidan and planned to gherao the collector’s office on Monday.
A large number of Satnami community members gathered for the protest. Police had set up barricades to prevent them from reaching the collectorate. However, the protest turned violent, with participants pelting stones at police and breaking through barricades to enter the collectorate. They set fire to several vehicles, including those parked at the Superintendent of Police office, and damaged the office building.
Balodabazar Superintendent of Police Sadanand Kumar reported that around 5,000 protesters broke through the barricades, leaving several officers injured. The fire was eventually extinguished, and the situation brought under control. Authorities are reviewing video footage to identify and take action against the culprits.
Visuals from the scene showed approximately 50 motorcycles, two dozen cars, and the SP office building engulfed in flames. A fire brigade vehicle was also torched, and clashes between protesters and police were evident.
Chief Minister Sai, in a post on X, directed the Raipur range Inspector General of Police and the Raipur division commissioner to immediately assess the situation. He called for strict action against those disrupting social harmony.
Following the violence, Balodabazar-Bhatapara Collector KL Chouhan issued an order imposing Section 144 in the municipality areas from 9 PM on Monday until midnight on June 16. The order cited the need to maintain peace and order, prohibiting rallies, processions, and the entry of groups from outside districts. It also banned carrying weapons in public places.
The state government has ordered a judicial probe into the vandalism of the ‘jaitkhamb.’ Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma, who also holds the Home portfolio, announced the judicial inquiry on Monday, emphasizing that actions disrupting social harmony would not be tolerated.
Sharma urged people to maintain peace and harmony. The Satnami community, founded by the medieval social reformer Baba Ghasidas, represents a significant portion of the Scheduled Castes in Chhattisgarh.