MP: 14 hurt in violence over Dalits’ entry to Shiva temple

KHARGONE: A dispute over entry of Dalits to a temple triggered violence on Mahashivratri in Madhya Pradesh’s Khargone district on Saturday evening, leaving 14 people injured.
Police have registered a case against more than 50 people on complaints from both sides. The incident happened in Chhapra village of Sanawad region, around 60km from Khargone district headquarters and 90km from Indore. Barwaha’s subdivisional police officer Vinod Dixit told reporters that on Saturday there was a dispute over the entry of Dalit people into the Shiva temple built by people of three other communities. “There was heavy stone pelting from both sides,” he said.
The complaint filed by Premlal of the Dalit community alleges that a group led by ‘Bhaiya Lal Patel’ stopped Dalit girls from entering the temple.
Police have registered a case against 17 accused and 25 unidentified persons under IPC sections 147, 148, 294, 323, 506, 505 (2) and SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities Act.
On the complaint of Ravindra Rao Maratha, a case has been registered against Premlal and 33 others for attacking them with weapons.