BILASPUR Police have arrested around 16 persons and registered FIRs against 25 others from both sides in connection with violence between two communities in the city. On Saturday, Collector Sanjay Agrawal and Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Rajnesh Singh, accompanied by police personnel, visited the affected areas, assessed the situation and issued directions to strengthen security arrangements in sensitive localities. Police are also monitoring social media posts and comments related to the dispute to prevent the situation from escalating further due to rumours or inflammatory content. As a precautionary measure, the Collector has invoked Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) within the jurisdiction of City Kotwali police station. The provision is similar in nature to the earlier Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code. During the period, large gatherings, processions and public meetings have been prohibited. Markets, however, have been exempted from the restrictions, allowing people to carry on their routine activities and shopping. The Collector and SSP appealed to people to maintain peace and ignore rumours and misleading information circulating on social media. SSP Rajnesh Singh said police were closely monitoring the situation and action was being taken against those attempting to escalate the dispute into communal tension.

 

Separate cases have been registered against both sides involved in the clash. In one case, action has been initiated under Sections 109(2), 115(2), 190, 191(3), 192, 296, 324(4) and 351(3) of the BNS. In the related case, offences have been registered under Sections 109(2), 115(2), 190, 191(3), 192, 296 and 351(3) of the BNS. According to the SSP, police teams are conducting raids at suspected hideouts to apprehend persons involved in the violence from both sides. “Besides scanning CCTV footage, separate teams have also been formed to collect electronic evidence. Legal action under Section 223 of the BNS will be taken against those violating the prohibitory orders. Police forces remain deployed to maintain normalcy and the entire incident is being investigated. Personnel have been instructed to maintain constant surveillance in the area and remain alert to handle any situation,” he said. Earlier, a dispute over a controversial social media comment on Friday night escalated into a violent clash between two groups in the city. Tension gripped the area following physical altercations, slogan-shouting and stone-pelting between the two sides. Police rushed to the spot after receiving information about the escalating situation but were also targeted with stones, resulting in injuries to several police personnel. Police later resorted to a lathi-charge and fired tear-gas shells to disperse the mob and bring the situation under control.