Mob pelts stones at C'garh police station; 2 cops hurt; 6 held

Six people, including a minor, were detained for allegedly pelting stones at a police station during a religious procession, leaving two uniformed personnel injured in Bilaspur district of Chhattisgarh, police said on Thursday. The incident took place on October 27 night when policemen asked some Durgotsav Samitis to comply with COVID-19 protocols when they had taken out a procession for the immersion of Goddess Durga idols, they said.

At around 10:15 pm on Tuesday, a huge crowd of people was dancing on loud DJ music when the procession, taken out by two to three samitis, was passing through Golebazar Road near the City Kotwali police station, Superintendent of Police Prashant Agrawal said. The district administration had issued guidelines for immersion of Goddess Durga idols and restricted procession and playing of DJ music.

In view of the guidelines, police personnel from Kotwali asked office-bearers of committees to follow safety protocols and switch off the music system during the procession, a suggestion which they agreed to, Agrawal said. However, some miscreants, most of them in an inebriated state, entered into an argument with police, he said.

Later, they were joined by others and a large mob gathered in front of the police station and people pelted stones at the complex, leaving two cops, including a woman, injured, the SP said. To control the situation, police used mild force to disperse the mob and also chased away miscreants, he said.

The police identified six persons, including a minor, who had hurled stones, and took them into custody, Agrawal said. Some videos purportedly showing police personnel chasing away the mob and using force went viral on social media.

However, the SP denied claims of lathicharge..