After the incident, a large number of workers of Hindu organisations reached the police station on Monday night. (File Photo)
Eight people were arrested and prohibitory orders were imposed in parts of Madhya Pradesh’s Shajapur city after participants of a religious procession were pelted with stones. One person was injured in the incident.
During the procession, which started at 7.30 pm on Monday, youths associated with Hindu organisations distributed yellow rice for the consecration ceremony of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, police said. At around 8.30 pm, around seven-eight persons stopped them and told them not to take out the procession in the area, an officer said.
This argument then grew into a physical confrontation, when some of the participants were allegedly “manhandled and stones were pelted at them”, the officer added.
“Eight persons have been arrested in this incident and search is on to apprehend the other accused,” said Shajapur Superintendent of Police Yashpal Rajput.
“The city is peaceful. We have also set up multiple patrolling parties to maintain peace in the city. Restrictions have been imposed under Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure in three areas of Shajapur city – Magaria, Kachhiwada and Lalpura,” the SP said.
Lalit, one of the injured, said, “I was part of the rally of 30 people and were raising ‘Jai Shri Ram’ slogans. Then suddenly, they started pelting stones and raising their own slogans. They caught hold of me, and they overpowered us.”
After the incident, a large number of workers of Hindu organisations reached the police station on Monday night. The protesters demanded that the accused be arrested immediately and that their houses be bulldozed.
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Local MLA Arun Bhimawad also turned up at the police station and addressed the protesters, assuring strict action against the accused.
Police registered an FIR against 24 identified people and 15-20 unidentified people.
Dewas MP Mahendra Solanki reached Shajapur on Tuesday and had a series of discussions with the senior police officers, following which he said the administration would “take any action necessary, including bulldozing homes of the accused, to maintain peace”.
“This was a planned conspiracy. Strict action will be taken against those who pelted stones on the yatra. Eight accused have been arrested, the search for the rest is on. If necessary, they will also break the houses of the accused,” Solanki said.
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The Congress has called for a fair investigation into the incident, with its spokesperson alleging that the BJP may have been behind the incident.
“There should be a fair investigation into the incident. Whoever is the accused should be unmasked. But before the elections, why was there a riot? Who did this? There should be an investigation. We have our doubts that the Sangh Parivaar and the BJP are involved in this incident. There is an attempt to spread terror and reap political dividends,” Congress spokesperson K K Mishra said.
Anand Mohan J is an award-winning Senior Correspondent for The Indian Express, currently leading the bureau’s coverage of Madhya Pradesh. With a career spanning over eight years, he has established himself as a trusted voice at the intersection of law, internal security, and public policy.
Based in Bhopal, Anand is widely recognized for his authoritative reporting on Maoist insurgency in Central India. In late 2025, he provided exclusive, ground-level coverage of the historic surrender of the final Maoist cadres in Madhya Pradesh, detailing the backchannel negotiations and the "vacuum of command" that led to the state being declared Maoist-free.
Expertise and Reporting Beats
Anand’s investigative work is characterized by a "Journalism of Courage" approach, holding institutions accountable through deep-dive analysis of several key sectors:
National Security & Counter-Insurgency: He is a primary chronicler of the decline of Naxalism in the Central Indian corridor, documenting the tactical shifts of security forces and the rehabilitation of surrendered cadres.
Judiciary & Legal Accountability: Drawing on over four years of experience covering Delhi’s trial courts and the Madhya Pradesh High Court, Anand deconstructs complex legal rulings. He has exposed critical institutional lapses, including custodial safety violations and the misuse of the National Security Act (NSA).
Wildlife Conservation (Project Cheetah): Anand is a leading reporter on Project Cheetah at Kuno National Park. He has provided extensive coverage of the biological and administrative hurdles of rewilding Namibian and South African cheetahs, as well as high-profile cases of wildlife trafficking.
Public Health & Social Safety: His recent investigative work has uncovered systemic negligence in public services, such as contaminated blood transfusions causing HIV infections in thalassemia patients and the human cost of the fertilizer crisis affecting rural farmers.
Professional Background
Tenure: Joined The Indian Express in 2017.
Locations: Transitioned from the high-pressure Delhi City beat (covering courts, police, and labor issues) to his current role as a regional lead in Madhya Pradesh.
Notable Investigations: * Exposed the "digital arrest" scams targeting entrepreneurs.
Investigated the Bandhavgarh elephant deaths and the impact of kodo millet fungus on local wildlife.
Documented the transition of power and welfare schemes (like Ladli Behna) in Madhya Pradesh governance.
Digital & Professional Presence
Author Profile: Anand Mohan J at Indian Express
Twitter handle: @mohanreports ... Read More
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