Mauganj legislator arrested; tensions remain high as authorities work to maintain law and order
Team Clarion
NEW DELHI – Defying both the administration and the court’s stay order, the BJP’s Mauganj MLA Pradeep Patel demolished the boundary wall of a Muslim settlement near Mahadevan temple in Madhya Pradesh’s Devra village on Tuesday evening. Claiming that the settlement was built on encroached land, the legislator arrived at the venue accompanied by hundreds of his supporters and a JCB to demolish the structures.
Enraged by this open defiance, locals resorted to stone-pelting, resulting in injuries to several persons.
The controversy centres around the parcel of land with a boundary wall that the Hindu group claims has been encroached upon by Muslims. However, the latter had obtained a stay order from the court, preventing any administrative action to remove the alleged encroachment. Despite the court’s order, the Hindu group intensified its protests three days ago, demanding immediate action.
On Sunday, local Hindu leader Santosh Tiwari started an indefinite fast, demanding the removal of the encroachment on the 9-acre land near the temple. He said 90 per cent of the land has been encroached upon by members of the Muslim community and the rest is under the control of Dalits.
The conflict escalated to such a degree that the district administration ordered the arrest of MLA Patel. Despite repeated efforts by officials to dissuade him, the demolition continued, triggering violence.
Additional police forces have been deployed at the site to prevent further unrest.
In a statement, the Collector explained that MLA Patel was arrested to de-escalate the situation. However, the arrest has sparked anger among Hindus, who now strongly oppose the administration’s actions, media reports said.
The district administration has refrained from issuing further comments on the incident, but tensions remain high as authorities work to maintain law and order.