700 booked in Gwalior as protest over Raja Bhoj statue turns violent

The violence unfolded after the members proceeded to the collectorate to submit a memorandum but were stopped by a police barricade. Outnumbering the police, they broke through the barricades and caused damage at the collectorate.

Additional Superintendent of Police Rishikesh Meena said five FIRs were registered at three police stations against around 700 people. At least 20 people are named in the FIRs in connection with rioting and damaging government properties, he said.

Thirteen policemen were injured, three of them seriously. Ten to 12 vehicles were destroyed along with public property at the collectorate, police said.

“There was a mahapanchayat of a particular community and they were told to hold their event under the conditions that it would be peaceful and poison should not be spewed against members of any other community. The so-called leaders of this community did this in a conspiratorial manner, and maybe even the crowd could not be controlled, because of which violence broke out in Gwalior. They broke the trust of the administration and there will be the strictest action against the accused,” Meena said.

Raja Mihir Bhoj’s ancestry has been a bone of contention between the Rajput and the Gurjar communities and the mention of the word ‘Gurjar’ on the statue of Raja Mihir Bhoj installed in the area has become a legal dispute. This led to the High Court order to cover up the statue.