13 held for violence in MP's Mhow after India's Champions Trophy win; situation under control
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Mhow/Indore (PTI): Thirteen persons have been arrested in connection with clashes in Madhya Pradesh's Mhow town after stone pelting at a rally celebrating the Indian cricket team's victory in the ICC Champions Trophy final, officials said on Monday.
Four persons suffered injuries in the incident which took place late Sunday night, Indore Collector Ashish Singh told reporters.
According to police, there were five incidents of violence in different areas of the town, located in Indore district, and three cars and several two-wheelers were attacked and set afire.
The collector said the police have so far arrested 13 persons on charges of indulging in arson and violence in Mhow town, where the situation is currently under control.
Soon after getting information about the violence, police reached the spot and made efforts to restore peace in the troubled area, he said.
So far, 13 persons have been arrested and an FIR registered in the matter. Action under the stringent National Security Act (NSA) will also be taken against some of them, he said.
Some more FIRs will also be registered in connection with the incidents on the basis of people's statements, the collector said, adding that some videos related to the incidents have also surfaced.
"Peace is restored in the area at present. Nobody will be spared and stringent action will be taken against those responsible for it (violence)," he said.
The collector also appealed to the people not to spread rumours/messages on social media and warned of action against those indulging in such acts.
Asked about the reason behind the incidents, the collector said it started from near a mosque, where those already taking out a procession had some dispute with another group, following which they manhandled each other.
The procession was taken out from different areas and later one of the groups had a dispute with others over bursting of firecrackers, as per the initial reports, he said.
After a probe, it will be clear and who all are responsible for it, the official said.
Meanwhile, Mhow police station in-charge Rahul Sharma said three cars and a dozen two-wheelers were attacked and set ablaze.
The police were investigating all five incidents -- in Taal Mohalla, Sewa Marg, Patti Bazar, Manek Chowk and Jama Masjid areas, he said.
The entire CCTV footage and videos shot by people on mobile phones were being examined to identify those who indulged in the arson, vandalism and stone-pelting, the official said.
A large contingent of security personnel arrived in Mhow late Sunday night, he said.
Senior police officials also reached Mhow, located 25 kilometres from the Indore district headquarters, and took stock of the situation.
Locals had earlier said a group of young cricket enthusiasts had organised a rally to celebrate India's victory against New Zealand.
However, as they approached the Jama Masjid area, a large group of individuals allegedly began hurling stones at them, leading to chaos and forcing them to abandon their motorcycles and flee, they said.
In the aftermath, some people set fire to a number of abandoned motorcycles, further escalating tensions, they said.
Deputy Inspector General of Police Nimish Agarwal on Sunday night told PTI that a rally was being taken out in Mhow to celebrate India's Champions Trophy victory.
During this, some people had an altercation that escalated into the two parties pelting each other with stones, he added.
The clashes sparked panic in multiple areas of the town, the locals said.
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Sujit Nair raises concerns over speculation of DMK-AIADMK understanding to block TVK
Chennai: Journalist and political commentator Sujit Nair has expressed concern over speculation that the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam could explore a post-poll understanding to prevent Vijay-led Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam from forming the government in Tamil Nadu.
In a social media post, Sujit Nair said the election verdict in Tamil Nadu reflected a clear public demand for political change and argued that the mandate should be respected irrespective of political preferences.
Referring to reports and political discussions surrounding a possible understanding between the DMK and AIADMK, he said he hoped such developments remained only speculative conversations and did not turn into reality.
Nair stated that if such an alliance were to take shape, it would raise serious questions about ideological politics in the country. He said TVK had emerged through a democratic electoral process and that the legitimacy to govern in a parliamentary democracy comes from the people’s verdict.
According to him, attempts to prevent an electoral winner from forming the government through unexpected political arrangements may be constitutionally valid, but many people could view them as politically opportunistic.
He further said that such a move could particularly affect the political image of the DMK, which has historically projected itself around ideology, social justice and opposition politics. Nair said that in ideological terms, the DMK appeared closer to TVK than to the AIADMK, and joining hands with its long-time political rival only to remain in power could weaken its broader political narrative.
He added that the same questions would apply to the AIADMK as well, as the party had spent decades positioning itself against the DMK and such an arrangement could create discomfort among its cadre and supporters.
Drawing a comparison with Maharashtra politics in 2019, Nair said he had expressed similar views when the Shiv Sena formed an alliance with the Indian National Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party after the Assembly elections.
He said post-poll alliances between long-standing political rivals often create a public perception that ideology and electoral mandates become secondary when political power equations come into play.
Nair also said such developments increase public cynicism towards politics and reinforce the belief among voters that ideology is often sidelined after elections.
He maintained that the Tamil Nadu verdict was emphatic and said respecting both the spirit and substance of the mandate was important for the credibility of democratic politics.
