Vadodara's celebratory 'Shobha Yatra' for the Ram Temple consecration turned tumultuous as stones were pelted, injuring one person in the latest incident of disruption during religious processions in Gujarat.
In Vadodara, Gujarat, a procession celebrating the consecration of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya was disrupted on Monday evening as stones were thrown at the participants. One person sustained injuries during the incident, which occurred during a 'shobha yatra' in Bhoj, Padra taluka. The Vadodara Superintendent of Police, Rohan Anand, informed the media that a combing operation is underway to apprehend the three to four individuals responsible for pelting stones.
According to Anand, the incident occurred when the procession entered a street in the village. However, the police accompanying the procession swiftly intervened, bringing the situation under control, allowing the procession to continue along its planned route. The village was reportedly tense prior to the event, and efforts had been made by the local police inspector to maintain peace through a meeting with members of both communities a few days prior. In anticipation of potential tensions, a significant number of police personnel had been deployed at the site.
Anand mentioned that the process of registering a First Information Report (FIR) is currently in progress. A video of the incident, captured by a villager, depicts people seeking cover amidst the stone-pelting.
This incident follows a similar occurrence in the state just a day earlier. On Sunday, police had to use teargas shells to disperse a crowd after stones were thrown at a 'shobha yatra' of Lord Ram in Kheralu town, Mehsana district.