Communal clashes erupted in Sanodha village in the Sagar district of Madhya Pradesh on Saturday (19th April), after a Muslim man allegedly eloped with a Hindu woman a day before her wedding. As soon as people found out about the incident, clashes broke out in the area, resulting in several houses, shops being set ablaze, and properties being vandalised. The police had to use tear gas shells and mild force to take control of the situation. Teams of police have been deployed in the area, and senior police officers, including SP Vikas Shahwal, ASP Lokesh Sinha, and SDOP Prakash Mishra, are also present to maintain peace.
Locals alleging love jihad
As per reports, the Hindu woman was to get married on Saturday. The preparations for the wedding were in full swing, and all the guests had arrived to attend the wedding. However, a day before the wedding, i.e. on Friday (18th April), the woman ran away with a local Muslim man. The next morning, the woman’s family found out that their daughter was not at home. When they started searching for her, they found out that the Muslim man was also missing from his house.
The incident outraged the woman’s family and the villagers, who called it a case of love jihad. Soon, clashes erupted and the villagers vandalised the houses and properties belonging to the other community. The violence stopped after police intervention.
MLA says it is the fifth such incident in the area
Naryavalli MLA Pradeep Lariya claimed that this was the fifth incident of this kind in the area. He said that he talked to the TI and the SP regarding the matter and demanded the filing of an FIR. “On April 18, I had demanded strict action from the SP and TI in this matter, but only a missing person case was registered. This is the fifth such incident in Sanodha. We had warned the administration earlier too, but no seriousness was shown,” Lariya alleged.
BJP state president VD Sharma said that those who indulge in love jihad and mislead daughters by hiding their identity will not be spared under any circumstances. Such activities will not be allowed. Sharma urged locals not to maintain peace and let the law take its course.
