INDORE: A dispute over installation of statue of Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel or Dr BR Ambedkar in Makadon town snowballed into a violent showdown between two groups on Thursday leading to stone pelting that left three persons, including a sub-inspector injured in Ujjain district.
The violence was sparked when members of Bhim Army used tractors to bring down a life-size idol of Sardar Patel, which was installed by rival Patidar group in a surprise overnight move, while the local panchayat was seized with the issue.
ASP Nitesh Bhargav said, “The land near Makadon Mandi Gate is vacant. While Bhim Army advocates for installing a statue of Dr BR Ambedkar, members of the Patidar community demand a statue of Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel. The matter was currently under consideration by the Panchayat.”
“On Wednesday night, a group of individuals took matters into their own hands and installed a statue of Sardar Patel on the disputed land. When the opposing group learned of this development, they gathered the next morning and toppled the statue, leading to a direct confrontation between the two factions,” he added.
Violence escalated quickly, leading to stone-pelting and the use of batons by both groups. The clash resulted in several vehicles being damaged, one was even set on fire. Numerous shops also bore the brunt in the violence.
Sub inspector of Makadon police station Lalchand Sharma sustained injuries during the stone-pelting, and other individuals were reported injured as well.
A police force from Ujjain and Tarana was rushed to the spot to control the crowd. The police managed to pacify both groups through negotiations. As a precautionary measure, a strong police deployment is made at the site, to avoid any untoward incident.
Local residents revealed that the dispute revolves around the disputed land between wards 2, 8, and 9. There are a large number of Dr Ambedkar's supporters in the vicinity and advocate for his statue to be placed on the land.
However, after winning the previous two elections, the BJP had announced plans to install a statue of Sardar Patel in the contentious area.
Bhargav said, “We are trying to identify the accused in the case and further actions are underway.”
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