Raipur (Chhattisgarh): In a dramatic turn of events in Chhattisgarh's Raipur, tensions escalated outside the Kotwali police station as supporters of Bajrang Dal and Vishwa Hindu Parishad protested against the arrest of four individuals in connection with a recent mob lynching incident in Arang.
The protest, which began at 4 pm and extended till midnight, saw thousands gathering, including members of Bajrang Dal, Vishwa Hindu Parishad and several saints.
The mob gathered to express dissent over the arrests made by the police following the mob lynching incident, which occurred recently in Arang. The arrested individuals were implicated in the lynching, sparking outrage among their supporters who demanded immediate action from the authorities.
Ravi Wadhwani, District Coordinator of Bajrang Dal, confirmed that talks were held with police officials regarding three primary demands of the protesters. Wadhwani said that the protesters firstly demanded stringent measures to curb cow smuggling in the state. Their second demand was action against police officers who referred to the incident as mob lynching. Lastly, they called for a review of the legal sections under which the accused were arrested.
Wadhwani said, "The protest was called off after a verbal assurance from the police on these three points." However, he also issued a stern ultimatum to the police, giving them three days to fulfil their demands. Should their demands not be met within three days, a larger movement was threatened to be organised.
The protest was marked by activities including chanting hymns and creating a commotion outside the police station premises. To ensure security, the police deployed a significant contingent, including four Additional Superintendents of Police, ten Circle Inspectors, and several Deputy Superintendents of Police along with station in-charges from approximately 20 police stations in the city.
The incident that sparked the protests involved the arrest of four individuals linked to the mob lynching case. Those arrested individuals included Naveen Singh Thakur and Mayank Sharma, residents of Mahasamund, along with Harsh Mishra and Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha leader Raja Agarwal from Durg.
