Communal violence erupts in Jodhpur, two cops injured
Jodhpur, Jun 22: A communal clash erupted in a locality here in which two policemen were injured and two vehicles were damaged, police said on Saturday.
Jodhpur West DCP Rajesh Kumar Yadav said the clash began Friday night over the construction of a gate in the backside of an eidgah near Rajaram Circle in the Soorsagar area here.
The residents of the locality opposed the construction of the gate on the backside of the eidgah saying that it would increase the movement of people in that area.
According to police, the construction began on Friday evening. The subsequent confrontation turned violent later with stone-pelting, arson and vandalism.
Police Commissioner Rajendra Singh said that the situation is under control and police have been deployed in the entire area.
"We have imposed section 144 and have arrested 51 people so far,” he said.
Last night, tension escalated and some people pelted stones, injuring two police officers, DCP Yadav said.
"A shop and a tractor were set on fire, and a jeep was vandalised," a senior police officer said.
"Police dispersed people to their homes by using batons and fired 4-5 rounds of tear gas shells," the officer added.
While charging at the crowd, police had to face a barrage of stones hurled at them, which for a moment blocked their advancement.
A brief peace was also worked out by the police with the help of senior members from both communities but sudden stone-pelting turned the situation tense again.
According to police, stones were pelted from houses in the areas including Vyapariyon ka Mohalla, Ambon ka Bagh and Subhash Chowk.
Efforts are on to identify the houses from where stones were thrown at the police when they tried to disperse the mob.
By late Friday night, the situation was brought under control but the area remained tense. Heavy police and Rajasthan Armed Constabulary forces continue to be deployed on Saturday morning to maintain law and order.
Police Commissioner Rajendra Singh said two FIRs were filed based on complaints from both sides.
Police said people from both sides have been taken into custody and teams are still raiding houses in the locality to apprehend suspects.
They said that the police have also filed a case in the matter under provisions of law, including perpetrating violence, causing interference in the government's work, damaging public property, disturbing communal harmony and rioting.
#WATCH | Jodhpur, Rajasthan: Security heightened in Soorsagar area following communal unrest and stone pelting between two communities pic.twitter.com/MkIlCJ95Ox
— ANI MP/CG/Rajasthan (@ANI_MP_CG_RJ) June 22, 2024
#WATCH | Rajasthan: Nishant Bhardwaj, ADCP, Jodhpur says, " Yesterday, on 21st June, communal unrest broke out between two communities. Stone pelting happened and there was pelting against the Police as well...Using all our forces, the situation was brought under control. Right… pic.twitter.com/vGWqTwrs0j
— ANI MP/CG/Rajasthan (@ANI_MP_CG_RJ) June 22, 2024
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Man held for attempting to encroach on 532 acres of forest, govt land near Bengaluru
Belagavi (Karnataka) (PTI): Karnataka Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre on Tuesday said that police have arrested a man for allegedly attempting to encroach upon 532 acres of forest and government land at B M Kaval near Bengaluru by submitting forged documents and obtaining court orders fraudulently.
He said the accused, M B Manmatha alias M B Nemannagowda, had earlier also attempted to claim ownership over 512 acres and 26 guntas of forest and government land in Chikkamagaluru's Mudigere by producing fake records.
In connection with the case, an Assistant Conservator of Forests had lodged a complaint at the Mudigere Circle police station on November 28, following which the Tahsildar also lodged a separate complaint, the minister said in a statement issued by his office.
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Based on these complaints, police registered an FIR and have now taken Manmatha into custody. "The investigation will reveal who were all involved in this conspiracy to encroach upon forest and government land," he said.
The FIR was registered against the accused at Mudigere police station in Chikkamagaluru district on December 13 under Sections 465 (forgery), 468 (forgery for purpose of cheating), 469 (forgery for purpose of harming reputation), 471 (using as genuine a forged document) of the Indian Penal Code and relevant section of the Karnataka Land Revenue Act.
Khandre further claimed that it had come to his notice that some officials and government advocates were directly or indirectly assisting those attempting to encroach upon government and forest land worth thousands of crores of rupees.
The minister said he has written to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah seeking a CID or Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe into the matter.
Warning of strict action, the minister said no one attempting to grab forest land using forged documents would be spared and termed the development a "wake-up call".
