Raipur : Communal tension prevailed in Kotwali area of Dhamtari district in Chhattisgarh following clashes between members of two communities on Wednesday, fallout of an inter-religion marriage of a couple that had eloped three months ago. Four persons, including a police officer, were reportedly injured, as police imposed prohibitory orders under Section 144 CrPC, banned assembly for more than four people in the area.
According to officials, trouble began late this afternoon when the boy, who had allegedly converted to Islam and remarried the girl with whom he had eloped three months ago, contacted certain Hindu organisations and expressed the desire of reconverting to Hinduism. Officials said the boy, who hails from Baniyapara area had eloped with a Muslim girl residing in Arjuni locality.
The couple had eloped three months ago and were traced by the girl’s family only three days ago. Under pressure from the girl’s parents, the boy agreed to remarry the girl according to Muslim customs and the ‘nikaha’ was formalized on Sunday.
The boy’s parents, who came know about the ‘nikaha’, had reportedly lodged a complaint of kidnapping with the police. According to some local residents, this afternoon the boy got in touch with some Hindu Organisation and informed them that he was reaching the Kotwali police station and wanted to reconvert.
This information reportedly reached the girl’s family and several youths from the Muslim community reached the Kotwali police station, allegedly armed with rods and swords. The Hindu organisation’s volunteers and the family members and friends of the boy also reached the police station, resulting in violent clash that left four injured.
According to police officials, Dhamtari ASP, Ashok Pipre, was among the four people who were injured in the clash. They were all admitted to the district hospital and were said to be out of danger.
Talking to TOI, IG Raipur, GP Singh said the situation was under control and a flag march had been conducted by the police in the area. He said prohibitory orders had been enforced in the entire Kotwali area and a close eye was being kept in the localities from the where the boy and the girl hail.
Source : The Times of India