A police team was violently assaulted by a mob in Panchi village of Madhya Pradesh's Guna district on Monday evening, resulting in multiple injuries to officers, including one constable who was bitten on the back. The incident, which stemmed from tensions over an inter-community marriage, saw officers being dragged, beaten with sticks, and pelted with stones.
Violent Assault on Police Personnel
According to the First Information Report (FIR) filed by injured constable Narendra Ojha, posted at the Binaganj police outpost, he and a colleague had gone to the village after receiving information about a gathering. The crowd, comprising members of the Lodha community and local villagers, was allegedly planning to block traffic near a temple on the service road. Ojha stated that while he was on the phone with his outpost, two individuals from the crowd identified them as police personnel.
"Within moments, the entire crowd pounced on us," Ojha recounted in the FIR. The two constables were kicked, punched, and forcibly dragged towards nearby fields. During the assault, one accused bit Constable Ojha on his back. The attackers then used wooden sticks pulled from nearby bushes to beat the officers.
Escalation and Injuries
The situation escalated when a police vehicle arrived at the spot in response to a distress call. The mob then turned on the reinforcement team, attacking them with sticks and sharp weapons. A head constable and an assistant sub-inspector were left bleeding from their injuries. The assailants also pelted stones at the police vehicle, shattering its rear glass.
Constable Ojha suffered a bleeding head injury and blunt injuries on his back and left hip. His colleague sustained injuries to both shoulders and below the waist. The mob only dispersed after additional police forces reached the area, fleeing on motorcycles and tractors. In the chaos, Ojha lost his wallet, while his colleague's mobile phones and wallet went missing.
Root Cause and Police Action
Police officials stated that the violence was triggered by anger over a young woman from the Lodha community marrying a man from another community. Earlier, police had refused to hand over the woman to the crowd, citing her adulthood and her request for protection. This refusal allegedly led the group to regroup and turn violent.
The incident falls under the jurisdiction of the Chachoda police station. Authorities have registered a case against 30 named and unidentified persons for attacking the police team. As of Tuesday, two accused have been arrested, and raids are underway to apprehend the remaining suspects. Senior police officials visited the district hospital to review the condition of the injured personnel.
