The law and order situation in Himachal Pradesh’s Poanta Sahib area took a violent turn after clashes between two groups over a teenage couple’s alleged elopement.
At least 10 people, including policemen, were injured in stone-pelting on Friday evening. The police had to resort to lathi-charge to stop the violent clashes.
Additional deployment of police forces had been ordered in the area to maintain peace.
The teenage couple, an 18-year-old girl and a 19-year-old boy allegedly ran away on June 4, after which family members of the girl lodged a complaint with the police, saying the girl had gone on the boy’s bidding.
Local Hindu outfits have been protesting for over four days in the town of Poanta Sahib town, claiming it to be a case of "love jihad".
On Friday, protestors, which included members of local Hindu organisations, blocked the Nahan-Paonta Highway for about an hour at Majra, 25 km from Nahan, demanding strict action in the case. This was followed by stone-pelting later in the day by the two groups.
Terming the elopement as another case of "love jihad", members of local Hindu outfits alleged that the police and administration are being lax in the matter and have not traced the woman.
"Love jihad" is a term often used by right-wing activists to allege a ploy by Muslim men to lure Hindu women into religious conversion through marriage.
BJP state president, Rajiv Bindal, who reached the spot along with local BJP MLA, Sukhram Chaudhary, slammed the police action on the protesters, saying many people, including women from Hindu organisations, were injured in the lathi-charge.
They also accused the Congress government in the state of “responding to the love jihad by caning the family of the victim”.
Bindal warned that the protest would continue and intensify till the girl was found and action taken against those who pelted stones on the Hindu organisations. “Villagers would sit on dharna in front of the police station on Saturday morning," he said.
Sirmaur Superintendent of Police Nishchay Singh Negi told media persons that the situation is tense but under control and additional police force has been deployed to ensure that no untoward incident takes place.
He also appealed to all parties to maintain peace and have full faith in the police.
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