The festive spirit of a Durga idol immersion procession was abruptly shattered by a dispute over loudspeakers in a village in Uttar Pradesh’s Bahraich district, leading to stone pelting, gunfire, and the death of a 22-year-old man, on October 13. Police have booked a man and detained around 30 people in connection with the violence.
The face-off occurred on October 13 in the Mahrajganj area of Mansoor village. Around half a dozen people were injured in stone pelting and firing.
Superintendent of Police (SP) Vrinda Shukla said efforts were underway to restore normalcy in the affected areas. “All anarchist elements will be identified,” she said. She added that an adequate police force has been deployed.
A case has been registered against a man identified as Salman, from whose house gunshots were allegedly fired. Shukla confirmed that some suspects had been detained, and their identities are being verified.
Ram Gopal Mishra of Rehua Mansoor village was walking in the procession when he suffered a bullet wound. He was rushed to a hospital but succumbed to his injuries during treatment, according to family members. Following the incident, tensions soared in the area, leading to the cancellation of similar processions in nearby towns, including Fakharpur.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath condemned the violence and instructed authorities to ensure the timely completion of idol immersion, coordinating with religious organizations. He also directed police to deploy personnel at all immersion sites to maintain order.
