Arrests follow after a dispute in Dutkaiya village; community members allege collective punishment and warn against branding an entire minority as criminals
GARIABAND — Tension gripped Dutkaiya village under Fingeshwar police station in Chhattisgarh’s Gariaband district after a violent clash between two communities on Sunday evening left many people injured, several Muslim homes vandalised and damaged, and caused injuries to at least six police personnel.
The unrest began after allegations were levelled against three Muslim men—Arif, Salim and Imran—soon after they returned to the village on bail in a year-old case. What followed, residents say, was not a limited dispute but a large-scale attack that quickly took on a communal tone.
According to police officials, an argument broke out soon after the three men reached the village. The situation soon turned violent. Some villagers accused them of attacking local youths with rods and stones. Police sources said four to six young men were injured in the clashes.
Muslim residents, though, say the reaction that followed was far more severe. A large crowd surrounded the houses of Arif, Salim and Imran and set them on fire. Nearby homes and vehicles were also torched, forcing families to flee in fear.
“Even women and children were not spared. Houses were burned without asking who was guilty and who was not,” said a local Muslim resident, who asked not to be named. “This was not justice; it was mob rule.”
When police tried to control the crowd, stones and bricks were hurled at them. At least six policemen were injured in the stone-pelting, some of whom were taken to a hospital for treatment.
Gariaband Superintendent of Police Vedvrat Siramour confirmed the arrests. “Arif, Salim and Imran have been taken into custody again. Several cases have been registered in connection with the violence,” he said. He also acknowledged attacks on the police. “Our personnel were injured while trying to restore order.”
Extra forces, including reserve battalion units, were rushed to the village. Dutkaiya resembled a security camp, with police stationed at every corner. Officials said the situation was under control, though heavy monitoring remains in place.
Muslim community members have raised concerns over what they describe as collective blame. “If there were allegations, the law should have acted. Burning homes and targeting an entire community only deepens fear,” said a community elder from the area.
Police have urged residents not to spread rumours and to help maintain peace. “The village is calm now. We appeal to everyone to cooperate and avoid taking the law into their own hands,” an official said.
The incident has once again exposed how quickly Muslim citizens become targets of mass anger, where accusations against individuals turn into punishment for a whole community, leaving scars that go far beyond a single night of violence.
