Dalit houses torched, Ambedkar statue desecrated in MP

BHOPAL: Election-related violence continues in MP’s Vijaypur. Hours after polling, a mob attacked a Dalit colony in Gohta village and allegedly set fire to four houses late Wednesday night. The attackers, numbering around 200, pelted stones and burnt down homes and torched a transformer, said locals. They also desecrated a statue of Babasaheb Ambedkar.

Sheopur SP Virendra Jain told mediapersons that police received information about a dispute between two parties. On arriving at the scene, officers found a pile of millet husk burnt to ashes. No formal complaint has been made, and no injuries were reported. Another officer downplayed the incident, saying such tensions are common during elections and insisted that ‘no significant disturbance’ occurred. Action would be taken only if a formal complaint is received, he said. There were no arrests till Thursday night.

Congress state president Jitu Patwari accused BJP workers of attacking tribal and Dalit communities. BJP state president VD Sharma dismissed Patwari’s allegations, saying: “When Congress wins an election, they tie turban on Rahul Gandhi’s head. And when they know they are losing, it takes to hooliganism and arson. They start blaming administration and EVMs.”