At least nine people have been arrested in connection with communal clashes that erupted during a Hanuman Jayanti procession in Guna city on Saturday night, officials confirmed.
According to Guna Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) Maan Singh Thakur, the incident took place around 7:45 p.m. in the Colonelganj area when an altercation broke out between two communities as the procession was passing by a mosque. The situation quickly escalated into stone-pelting, resulting in minor injuries to 13 individuals.
ASP Thakur stated that an FIR was registered late Saturday night based on a complaint filed by members of the Hindu community. The complaint names five identified individuals and approximately 20 unidentified persons. “So far, we have arrested nine people, including the prime accused, Vicky Pathan. The arrests were made with the help of CCTV footage and mobile video evidence. We are continuing to identify others involved in the incident,” he said.
The police officer further noted that no formal complaint has been received from the Muslim community as of now.
Thakur also pointed out that the procession was carried out without official permission. “The organisers had only submitted an intimation about the event on April 7, but they did not obtain formal permission from the local administration,” he said.
However, Ranjeet Khatik, one of the organisers of the procession, refuted the claim. Khatik said, “The administration is saying there was no permission, but I have all the necessary documents to prove otherwise.” He added that the clashes began after a group of boys raised slogans of ‘Jai Shri Ram’, which prompted a retaliatory chant of ‘Allahu Akbar’ from the other side.
Based on a complaint by a local corporator, another case has been registered, naming four to five individuals, with 15 to 20 others remaining unidentified.
Heavy police deployment remains in place across the city, and additional security forces have been brought in from neighbouring districts to maintain peace and prevent further escalation. Authorities have said that the situation is currently under control.
