A violent clash occurred following members of the Muslim community allegedly attacked Hindus for celebrating Mahashivratri on Monday outside a steel factory in the Gwalathai region of Bilaspur district. Hindu leaders alleged Muslims opened fire at Hindus organising Bhandara on Mahashivratri.
Three people from both the sides were injured during the clash and were rushed to the hospital for treatment. Bilaspur police have registered cross FIRs in the matter, and an investigation is underway. Notably, the police have dismissed the allegations of a communal dispute and stated that it was a matter related to the local truck union. The police added that, prima facie, no evidence of gunshots being fired has been found.
About The Incident
Hindu members of the truck operators’ union in the Naina Devi Assembly constituency organised a bhandara on the occasion of Mahashivratri, according to the media reports. Members of the Muslim community objected to the event, which led to an altercation. The argument turned violent, and members of both communities were injured during the clash.
Vishva Hindu Parishad leader Kamal Goutaam accused members of the Muslim community of starting a “murderous attack” on Hindu truck operators. He alleged that when Hindus insisted on continuing with the bhandara, members of the Muslim community resorted to violence.
He also claimed that the attackers fired gunshots to kill. Two members of the Hindu community, identified as Hoshiar Singh and Chaman Singh, and one member of the Muslim community, were injured.
Speaking to the media, Chaman Kumar confirmed that the dispute took place over the bhandara. He alleged that the attackers arrived in a Thar and physically assaulted Hindus. He further confirmed that gunshots were fired during the altercation.
Hindu Leaders’ Statements
In a statement on Facebook, Hindu leader Prashant K Ranjan criticised the police for considering action against those who raised concerns about the attack. He wrote, “The information we published on social media was based on the accounts of the victims. We are neither afraid of action nor will we be silenced. The police should listen to the victims, who have clearly stated that gunfire was involved, while the police continue to deny it.”
He added that if any injustice was done to the Hindu community, they would speak out and stand by them. He said, “Instead of lecturing us, the police should do their job.”
Earlier, Kamal Goutaam had published details about the incident on his Facebook account, accusing Muslims of attempting to establish mafia rule in the region. He said, “Local Muslims in Illewal openly opposed the bhandara, saying that their mafia rule prevails in the area and they would not allow any Hindu religious event. When Hindus objected, they opened fire and attacked people, attempting to kill Hoshiar Singh and Chaman Kumar.”
Goutaam named members of the Muslim community, accusing them of the attack, including Ramzan Khan, Jogi Khan, Jagga Khan, Shammu Khan, Salim Khan, Kaku Khan, and Achharu Khan. Furthermore, he called for a fair investigation and strict action against the accused. Goutaam urged members of the Hindu community to remain united so that they could resist such incidents in the future.
Police Deny Communal Angle
Superintendent of Police (SP) Bilaspur, Sandeep Dhawal, refuted claims that the incident was communal in nature. He said, “Preliminary investigations suggest that the altercation was related to the truck union and was not a religious dispute.”
Furthermore, SP Dhawal confirmed that cross FIRs had been registered in the matter. The first FIR was registered on the day of the incident, and the second was registered the following day. The police are analysing CCTV footage from the area to determine the sequence of events that led to the clash.
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