Nahan (HP), Oct 28 Sirmaur Police have arrested 11 individuals in connection with violent clashes and stone pelting that took place between two communities in Valmiki Chowk here on October 23, officials said on Wednesday.
Prohibitory orders placed in certain areas of Nahan city in Sirmaur district following the incident will be in effect till Thursday night, they said.
On Wednesday, the second day after Sirmaur District Magistrate Priyanka Verma imposed prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, the affected areas remained completely peaceful, with no untoward incidents reported.
Approximately 150 police personnel are patrolling and conducting checks at seven major barricades set up across various locations in the district.
Police are maintaining strict vigil, and all vehicles entering Nahan are being checked. Additional police contingents are continuously patrolling the violence-affected areas, closely monitoring the situation, officials said.
Police said those arrested include residents of Valmiki Mohalla and Mohalla Govindgarh. The suspects were taken into custody on Tuesday and will be produced before a court on Wednesday.
According to the police, a dispute between two communities at Valmiki Chowk in Nahan on October 23 escalated into stone-pelting and a violent clash.
The clashes erupted when certain members of the Valmiki community tried to stop some Sikh residents of the Gobindgarh locality from installing a welcome gate.
Fourteen people, including Nahan Sadar Station House Officer Kulbir Singh and two other police personnel, were injured in the incident.
Police said a case was registered under Sections 191(2), 191(3), 190, 132, 121(1) and 324(4) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and Section 3 of the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act.
Around 11 individuals found involved in the incident have been arrested. These were Vasu (37), Shivraj (29), Vidha Sagar alias Rahul (31), Aryan (19) and Aryaveer alias Aadi (21), all residents of Valmiki Mohalla; and Prakash Singh alias Badal (24), Kulvinder Singh alias Khoju (24), Sukhvinder Singh alias Gappu (21), Gurjit Singh alias Guju (27), Tejpal Singh alias Teju (19) and Sohan Singh (21), all residents of Mohalla Govindgarh, Nahan.
Sirmaur Superintendent of Police Nishchit Singh Negi said police are also investigating the roles of others involved.
He appealed to the people to maintain peace, harmony and brotherhood in the town. He urged residents not to believe rumours or share unverified or inflammatory content on social media, and requested their cooperation with the police and the administration in upholding law and order.
(PTI News)
