After a police station in Madhya Pradesh's Chhatarpur district became the site of a violent clash, leaving several personnel injured, police have made a spate of arrests and demolished the palatial home of a local leader, Shahzad Ali – with both the Congress and the BJP saying he belongs to the other party. Around 2.45 pm on August 21, around 100-150 Muslim community members, allegedly led by local leaders Javed Ali and Shahzad Ali, arrived at the district’s Kotwali police station to “submit a memorandum” against comments purportedly made by Maharashtra's Mahant Ramgiri Maharaj about their faith while speaking in Ahmednagar. According to the police and eyewitnesses, the situation got heated and some members of the crowd allegedly pelted stones at the police, injuring several personnel. Chattarpur Superintendent of Police Agam Jain told The Indian Express, "We have arrested 20 persons and detained several others. By tonight, the number of those arrested will go up. Some elements pelted stones at the policemen and we managed to control the situation swiftly. We are investigating the real motives behind the attack." Sub-inspector Rahul Tiwari, who was on duty at the time, claimed that the crowd included "several underage boys, who entered the station premises equipped with concealed weapons – sticks, stones, iron rods, and even swords”. Officials said the police and local administrative officials, including the Additional District Magistrate and Sub-Divisional Magistrate, tried to defuse the situation, but in vain. “Members of the mob launched a premeditated attack on the SHO, inspector Arvind Kujur, and other officers present at the station,” the FIR filed in connection with the violence states. Kujur sustained wounds to his head and right hand after being struck by one of the assailants, the FIR states, adding that other police personnel also sustained injuries. The mob also "vandalised vehicles parked within the police station premises”, the FIR states, adding, “It was only with the arrival of additional police reinforcements and the deployment of teargas that the crowd eventually dispersed." As the police began its crackdown in the wake of the violence, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav urged Director General of Police Sudhir Saxena to take "strict action so that such incidents do not recur in the future”. "Madhya Pradesh is a state of peace, anyone taking the law into their own hands in a planned manner will not be tolerated at all… It is our priority to maintain peace and harmony in the state," Yadav wrote on X. On Thursday morning, additional forces from the border districts and senior officers reached the residence of Shahzad Ali. The ruling BJP has alleged Ali is a member of the Congress’s district minority cell, while the opposition has denied his involvement in the party and claimed he is now a BJP member. "He used to be a member of the Congress party but is now a BJP member," Congress spokesperson Mukesh Nayak claimed. BJP spokesperson Pankaj Chaturvedi claimed, "Ali was never associated with the party." Another senior BJP leader said, "Shahzad's brother used to visit the local BJP leaders but never associated with the party. His family is involved with the Congress." Also accused in the violence are two of Shahzad's sons, corporator Ajad Ali, and several locals.. The police broke the lock of Ali’s house, and started demolishing alleged illegal parts with the help of an excavator. The exterior of the house was razed to the ground. SDM, Chattarpur, Akhil Rathore told The Indian Express, "The illegal property was spread across 1 acre. We issued a notice for demolition of the entire property since it was built without any construction permissions." SP Jain said the property was valued at around Rs 10 crore. The Chhatarpur police have registered a case against 46 identified persons and at least 150 unidentified persons. The police have invoked sections of attempt to murder, rioting, etc.
