Guna (Madhya Pradesh), April 14: Tension gripped Guna city on Monday as members of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Bajrang Dal staged a protest at Hanuman Chowk in the Haat Bazar area, demanding action against those allegedly involved in a recent stone-pelting incident during a Hanuman Jayanti procession.
The protestors insisted on demonstrating at the site of the April 12 incident near the Colonelganj Mosque. However, police intervened and denied permission, leading to a mild lathicharge to disperse the crowd.
Guna Superintendent of Police Sanjeev Kumar Sinha said the situation is now under control. “The police force is deployed in the area, and I am personally monitoring it. We will take strict action against any anti-social elements attempting to disturb peace,” he stated. He also confirmed that CCTV footage would be reviewed to identify miscreants among the protestors.
So far, 17 people have been arrested in connection with the April 12 stone-pelting incident, which occurred when a Hanuman Jayanti procession was passing near the mosque and tensions flared following an exchange of slogans between two communities.
VHP leader Suresh Sharma demanded stringent action against the accused, including the invocation of the National Security Act (NSA). “Stones were thrown from the mosque side. We have never attacked their processions, even when they pass near our temples. If we don’t protest, does that justify violence?” Sharma said, alleging bias from the administration.
In a parallel development, several women from the Muslim community gathered at the Kotwali police station and raised slogans against what they termed as one-sided action. They claimed that members of the other community had also misbehaved with them, and their grievances were being ignored.
SP Sinha, recounting the April 12 incident, had earlier stated that police acted swiftly and brought the situation under control within 15–20 minutes of receiving information. Several individuals sustained injuries during the stone-pelting, he added.
