Madhya Pradesh: Mob vandalizes Jain temple, communal tensions erupt

Tension erupted in Madhya Pradesh’s Sagar on Sunday, January 5 after a group allegedly associated with Hindutva ideology broke into a Jain temple and vandalized it.

A CCTV footage of the incident that surfaced on social media on Monday, January 6 shows the group chanting “Jai Shri Ram” slogans while aggressively pelting stones at the temple, smashing its glass windows and damaging its interiors.

According to local reports, the incident occurred after Hindu community members in the area accused youngsters from the Jain community of desecrating Hindu temples and destroying idols on January 4.

They alleged that approximately 30 Jain young men entered the Kuldev temple with their faces covered and damaged the temple.

Following the alleged temple damage, a large number of Hindu mob gathered outside Kotwali police station, demonstrating with Hindu right-wing organizations and demanding the arrest of the perpetrators.

Justifying their actions, the mob claimed they were acting in response to the alleged provocation.

Additional SP Lokesh Sinha stated that an FIR has been registered based on a complaint by Babu Jaidya who was injured during the incident. Additionally, a huge police force has been deployed in the area to curb further untoward.

Meanwhile, the officer has appealed for peace from both communities and assured a thorough investigation into the incident.