Communal tension erupted in Dudhkaiyya village, around 100 km from Raipur, late Sunday night, spiralling into violence that left at least six police personnel injured and reduced around a dozen houses and several vehicles to ashes.
Authorities rushed in heavy police reinforcements to prevent the situation from worsening. Three principal accused, Arif and two associates, were rearrested at Rajim police station, confirmed Vedvrat Sirmour, Superintendent of Police, Gariaband.
According to police accounts, the flashpoint came when the trio allegedly assaulted a group of four to six local youths with iron rods. The accused had recently been released on bail in a year-old case related to the vandalism of a Shiv temple idol in the same village. After securing bail, they allegedly intimidated villagers and harassed witnesses and complainants linked to the temple case, further stoking local anger.
Tempers finally boiled over when enraged residents targeted the accused’s homes, setting them ablaze. In all, about 12 residential structures, belonging to the accused, their associates, or nearby residents, along with multiple vehicles, were torched.
As police attempted to rein in the mob and prevent further attacks on homes belonging to a particular community, they were met with stone and brick pelting, leaving six personnel injured. No cases have yet been registered against those who attacked the police during the violence.
Reacting sharply, Deepak Baij, president of the state Congress, alleged a “collapse of law and order,” blaming administrative failure for the targeted arson and what he described as a reign of terror. “A dozen houses were burnt and several policemen injured due to negligence and a rapidly deteriorating security situation,” he said.
State cabinet minister Dayaldas Baghel termed the episode a clash between two communities rooted in an old rivalry, adding that the situation was now under control.
Despite official assurances, Dudhkaiyya remains on edge, with the administration maintaining a close watch to prevent any fresh flare-up.
