Mob vandalises, torches homes in Chhattisgarh village as police shield minority residents against them

A mob successful Dutkaiya colony of Gariaband territory successful Chhattisgarh connected Sunday (February 1, 2026) vandalised and acceptable connected occurrence implicit fractional a twelve houses owned by a number community, the constabulary said. At slightest 7 policemen suffered injuries portion shielding implicit 2 twelve people, including women and children, against a mob of hundreds for respective hours.

The communal clash was the fallout of a concatenation of events that began a fewer hours earlier erstwhile 3 men, 1 of them retired connected bail successful a temple desecration case, allegedly assaulted locals, said the police.

Gariaband Superintendent of Police Vedvrat Sirmaur told journalists connected Monday (February 2, 2026) that successful 2024, Dutkaiya nonmigratory Arif Khan was placed successful the Mana Juvenile Correctional Home aft helium and 2 others allegedly vandalised the Chaveshwar Shiva temple successful the village. Another serviceman added that Mr. Khan, present 18, was granted bail the aforesaid twelvemonth but ne'er returned to the colony until the aboriginal hours of Sunday (February 1, 2026), erstwhile helium and 2 of his accomplices from Raipur allegedly assaulted 4 men, including astatine slightest 1 eyewitness of the desecration case.

While the constabulary registered 4 cases against Mr. Khan and his accomplices and assured the villagers that helium would beryllium arrested, a tiny mob vandalised Mr. Khan’s location successful the village. A constabulary squad was past sent to the colony and they counselled the villagers against immoderate further provocation.

However, bid was short-lived and soon, a larger mob of respective hundreds from Dutkaiya and adjoining villages had gathered astatine the spot. Armed with sticks, bricks, stones, and kerosene bottles, they allegedly tried to participate the homes of the 10 Muslim families who had locked themselves in.

“The assemblage acceptable the vehicles ablaze and demanded that they beryllium allowed to participate the homes of Muslims. Not lone were we outnumbered but determination was a manpower crunch owed to the Rajim Kumbh [a large spiritual congregation successful the State]. For the adjacent fewer hours, we stood defender and ensured that the mob did not participate oregon harm the residents that included women and children,” said the constabulary officer.

While the policemen stood guard, the assemblage pelted stones and adjacent tried to participate the homes from adjacent houses. However, the constabulary teams held them disconnected till the reinforcements arrived successful 2 batches by 9 p.m. “Attempts to pacify the assemblage proved futile. We started shifting the trapped victims to 1 place,” recalled the officer.

It was lone aft the accomplishment of the past batch that the constabulary utilized unit and dispersed the mob portion rescuing the 20-odd residents successful a bus. At slightest 2 adults from these families sustained injuries. The constabulary past learnt that determination was a radical of six oregon 7 children trapped successful a madrasa. They were subsequently rescued and six policemen sustained grievous injuries.

While the concern was brought nether power astir midnight and the constabulary were preparing to leave, a pistillate from the mob threw a ceramic astatine a policeman, who suffered terrible caput injuries. Others, including the serviceman quoted above, besides sustained superficial oregon blunt injuries.

When The Hindu visited the colony connected Monday (February 2, 2026) afternoon, charred vehicles and partially burnt houses could beryllium seen. A ample constabulary contingent was besides present. All the Muslim families person near the colony and proceed to instrumentality structure elsewhere.

After the 2024 incident, the families of those related to Mr. Khan had near the colony fearing backlash but were convinced by the medication to return, said different constabulary officer. Residents said that determination were tensions betwixt the 2 communities but those were owed to economical and assorted different reasons.

“Meanwhile, the supra incidents led to unrest among the villagers of Dutkaiya, and a assemblage gathered adjacent the accused’s house. Upon receiving information, the constabulary unit instantly rushed to the scene, brought the concern nether control, and dispersed the crowd. To forestall nonaccomplishment of beingness and property, indispensable minimum unit was utilized to disperse the unruly crowd, and the injured were sent to the infirmary for treatment,” an authoritative connection issued by the constabulary connected Monday (February 2, 2026) read.

Two FIRs person been registered successful transportation with the rioting.