Twelve people were injured after an argument over cleaning up after a meal escalated into a violent clash between a group of pilgrims from Maharashtra and employees of a factory in Khargone district, police said on Sunday.
Incident Details
According to Khaltaka police outpost in-charge Mithun Chauhan, the incident occurred on Saturday evening at a garment manufacturing unit in Mukundpura village situated on Agra-Mumbai National highway.
A group of 16 pilgrims returning to Pune from Char Dham Yatra had stopped at the factory premises and requested permission to cook and eat food there. Factory employees allowed them to use the premises and also provided water and other basic facilities, Chauhan said.
Dispute Escalation
The dispute reportedly began after the pilgrims finished their meal and were preparing to leave. Factory owner Dinesh Patel, through his employees, asked the group to clean the area, collect the garbage in plastic bags and dispose it of properly before departing, he said.
Some members of the pilgrim group objected to the tone of request and allegedly assaulted a factory employee. When Patel reached the spot, he too was allegedly attacked. The altercation soon escalated, with factory workers and the pilgrims engaging in a violent clash, he said.
Missing Items and Allegations
The pilgrims later alleged that three iPhones and gold ornaments weighing about seven tolas had gone missing during the incident. Chauhan said that all three mobile phones were subsequently found inside the pilgrims own vehicles.
On the other hand, factory employees alleged that some pilgrims had consumed alcohol and littered the premises.
Police Action
Based on complaints from both sides, police registered cross-cases and booked 28 persons.
