Workers of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and other organisations have urged people to close their businesses on Monday in response to a Statewide ‘bandh’ call issued by the VHP and other organisations in response to violence in Chhattisgarh’s Bemetara district. On Saturday, 22-year-old, Bhuneswar Sahu, was killed in a clash between two groups in the Biranpur village. Three police personnel were also injured in the incident. Raipur Additional Superintendent of Police Abhishek Maheshwari said, “Today a bandh has been called by Vishwa Hindu Parishad and the Bajrang Dal. An additional police force has also been deployed in all police stations. More than 400 police officers have been deployed in all the police stations, Extra patrolling is also being done.”
“We’ve got information that they plan to hold a ‘chakka jam’ at three to four locations. We will try to disperse them as soon as possible,” the police official said. The decision for a ‘bandh,’ according to BJP district president Jayanti Patel, was necessary due to the violence in the state. He stated that the BJP supports the bandh call.
Indira Kalyan Elesela, the Superintendent of Police (SP) of Bemetara, stated yesterday, “In light of yesterday’s incident, a bandh has been declared for tomorrow. We’re prepared for this. We hope that everything remains calm.”
“We are completely prepared. The crowd has been kept under control by placing barricades in strategic locations “He went on to say. Earlier on Sunday, State BJP spokesperson Kedar Gupta said, “Bharatiya Janata Party will join the Chhattisgarh bandh called by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad over the incident in Bemetara that resulted in the death of one youth and the bandh will be held on Monday.”
” The incident took place in Saja Vidhansabha. There were continuously eight cases of love jihad in that area and Sahu Samaj was creating public awareness that Love Jihad is a crime”, Gupta said.
He also alleged conspiracy behind the youth’s murder and the government was supporting the accused.
Meanwhile, amid heavy police deployment and imposition of Section 144 in the area, the last rites of Bhuneswar Sahu, was performed on Sunday. According to preliminary information, a fight broke out between two groups of children in Biranpur village on Saturday (April 8), and tensions subsequently escalated, leading to a clash between members of the two groups.
Police have arrested 11 people in connection with the violence and are conducting an investigation.