Dispute with tailor in Damoh snowballs into protest, Madhya Pradesh CM orders inquiry

Akram Khan and two of his associates were subsequently detained, Kotwali police station in-charge Anand Singh said. On the incident, he said, “A petty dispute occurred on Saturday between one Lallu Sharma and tailor Ansar Khan over the delivery of stitched clothes on time. Sharma and his associates misbehaved with one Hafiz (a cleric) when he intervened.”

“Soon, a large number of people gathered at the police station demanding to arrest and bulldoze the house of the accused (who misbehaved with the cleric) within two hours,” he said.

The cleric and some others were also trying to pacify the crowd, Singh said, adding that based on a complaint lodged by the tailor, police had registered a case and arrested two men on Saturday night.

A case was also registered against 30-40 people in connection with the gathering outside the police station. The case was registered under Indian Penal Code sections 153A (promoting enmity between different groups), 143 (unlawful assembly) and 147 (rioting), Singh said.

Superintendent of Police Sunil Tiwari said on Monday that he recommended that the National Security Act (a law that has a provision for preventive detention to maintain public order and national security) be invoked against Akram Khan.

In a post on X, the Chief Minister’s Office said, “In Damoh, miscreants tried to disturb the law-and-order situation, which was controlled by the police administration in time. Chief Minister Mohan Yadav has given instructions for investigation regarding this incident. Strictest action will be taken against the culprits. Maintaining peace in Madhya Pradesh is the main priority of the government.”

Damoh Collector Mayank Agrawal said a magisterial probe has been ordered to look into what triggered the protest and to identify those responsible. As per orders issued by the collector, Additional District Magistrate Meena Masram will also investigate whether the protest was a planned one.