Communal clashes broke out just before Eid-ul-Fitr celebrations in India’s Jodhpur, the hometown of Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, prompting the authorities to declare a curfew in areas under 10 police stations of the city on Tuesday.
On Monday night, two communities clashed over a dispute involving Eid flags in Jalori Gate area.
The internet has been shut down and heavy security forces have been deployed in the old city area, reports The New Indian Express.
This is the third major communal conflict in Rajasthan in the past month.
With the BJP's announcement of a statewide agitation for Thursday, mobilization for a Hindutva agenda is gathering pace ahead of the assembly elections in Rajasthan next year.
In Jodhpur, a late-night dispute erupted over the setting up of a flag at the Jalori Gate area. A three-day Parshuram Jayanti festival is also underway in Jodhpur and religious flags put up by both communities led to a major argument that soon led to clashes. Some people were raising flags at the Jalori Gate intersection at around 11:30pm on Monday. During this time, a person making a video was beaten up by some youths.
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When some people came to his rescue, they beat them too. After this, the other faction started throwing stones and besides others, even the DCP East and Uday Mandir SHO were injured.
On Tuesday morning, a crowd gathered, pelted stones and arson started. The police had to resort to baton charge and fire tear gas shells to disperse the mob.
According to information, miscreants broke the glasses of over 20 vehicles and vandalized many ATMs in the Shanichar Thana area. On Tuesday morning, miscreants even created a ruckus outside the house of Suryakanta Vyas, the BJP MLA from Sursagar located near Jalori Gate.
Seeing the deteriorating atmosphere outside the MLA's house, DCP West Bhuvan Bhushan Yadav reached there and dispersed the mob. The entire area has since been converted into a cantonment by the police. Another policeman was injured in stone-pelting on Tuesday morning after three law enforcers were injured on Monday night, the Indian media outlet reported.
After the tension and violence in his hometown of Jodhpur, CM Gehlot called an emergency meeting in the CMO.
Gehlot has instructed a high-level team to immediately go to Jodhpur by helicopter.
Meanwhile, the BJP has attacked Gehlot over the incident of baton charge after stone-pelting at Jalori Gate.
The BJP plans to target the Gehlot government and will hold a big demonstration in all districts of Rajasthan.
