'Communal' tension in MP village, heavy police force deployed

Bhopal, April 19 (IANS) Tension escalated in Sanodha village of Madhya Pradesh's Sagar district following a dispute between two communities, after which a shop was set ablaze.

The miscreants vandalised the nearby shops, intensifying chaos.

Upon receiving information about the disturbance, a team from the Sanodha police station rushed to the scene and attempted to pacify the crowd.

However, their efforts were met with resistance, prompting reinforcement from nearby police stations.

As the situation worsened, police lobbed tear gas shells and used minimal force to disperse the unruly crowd. The atmosphere in the village remained tense, with heavy police presence aimed at maintaining order.

Senior officials, including District Collector, Superintendent of Police (SP) Vikas Shahwal, ASP Lokesh Sinha, and SDOP (Sub-divisional officer) Prakash Mishra, are stationed in the area to oversee the situation.

District Collector Sandeep GR said the law and order situation is under control in the village.

After getting reports of a mob gathering in Sanodha village, the District Collector arrived at the scene with law enforcement and administrative officials, emphasising the priority of upholding law and order.

He urged the public to remain calm while investigations into the matter continue.

On the root cause of the matter, whether it is related to a "girl" whom a man took away from a different community, the Collector said the priority of the administration was to control law and order.

"Our prime concern is law and order, and efforts are being made to ensure stability in Sanodha village," he assured.

A section of the media has quoted a local legislator as saying that the origin of the dispute is an incident involving a young man from a particular community who took a girl from the village.

The legislator further stated that the accused youth has a history of criminal behaviour, which has fuelled tensions among residents.

Authorities are committed to resolving the situation and conducting a thorough investigation into the events leading up to the unrest, he said.

--IANS

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