Several cars, motorcycles and a government building were torched after a protest called by the Satnami community to denounce damage to their religious pillar in Chhattisgarh's Balodabazar city turned violent on Monday, prompting authorities to clamp prohibitory orders, officials said.
Police personnel were injured in stone-pelting by protesters, an official said, adding Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai was briefed on the situation by the chief secretary and the DGP.
He said the Balodabazar-Bhatapara district administration imposed section 144 of the CrPC, prohibiting assemblies of four or more people, rallies, and processions in Balodabazar city.
On the intervening night of May 15-16, unidentified persons vandalised a 'jaitkhamb', a structure worshipped by the Satnami community as a sacred symbol, near holy Amar Gufa in Giroudpuri dham in Balodabazar district.
The local police had arrested three persons for their alleged involvement in the desecration. Still, the official said the Satnami community insisted on a central agency probe into the matter.
To protest the incident, the Satnami community called for a demonstration on Monday at Dussehra Maidan here and the gherao of the collector's office.
A large number of Satnami community members gathered to attend the protest. Police had put barricades at several places to stop the protesters from heading towards the collectorate.
"The Satnami community had called for a peaceful demonstration, but the protest turned violent. Protesters pelted stones at police personnel and entered the collectorate by breaking barricades. They pelted stones at the office building and torched several vehicles parked there," said Balodabazar Superintendent of Police Sadanand Kumar.
Some 5,000 protesters broke through police barricades and pelted stones, leaving several cops injured, he said.
They entered the collectorate and set several cars, two-wheelers, and the building housing the Superintendent of Police office on fire. Kumar said the agitators also pelted stones at the collector's office and shattered window panes.
The SP added that the fire was doused, and the situation was brought under control.
Visuals from the protest site showed some 50 motorcycles, two dozen cars and the SP office building in the collectorate in flames. A fire brigade vehicle was also torched by the mob. The protesters were seen clashing with police personnel.
In a post on X, Chief Minister Sai said he had directed the Raipur range Inspector General of Police and Raipur division commissioner to reach the spot immediately.
The influential Satnami community, founded by medieval-era social reformer Baba Ghasidas, represents a majority of Scheduled Castes in Chhattisgarh.
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