A simmering conflict escalated into tension in the town of Sheeshgarh, gripping the district with unease, following an exchange of derogatory religious comments between two teenagers from different communities on Instagram. The incident, which unfolded on Friday evening, led to the detention of a Hindu and a Muslim teenager by local authorities.
According to sources, trouble began around 9 pm when members of the Muslim community filed a police complaint against a 14-year-old Class 9 student, accusing him of making offensive remarks about their religion on his Instagram account. Superintendent of Police (Rural), Raj Kumar Aggarwal, stated that despite assurances of appropriate action from the Sheeshgarh Police Station, the crowd that had gathered outside the station grew agitated, ultimately surrounding the residence of the young Hindu teen while chanting slogans, as reported by PTI.
Amid the escalating commotion, District Magistrate Shivakant Dwivedi, Commissioner Soumya Aggarwal, Inspector General of Police Dr. Rakesh Singh, and other high-ranking officials arrived at the scene around 1.30 am. In an effort to restore calm, Dr. Rakesh Singh informed the media on Saturday that 23 individuals involved in the unrest had been detained. Substantial police forces were dispatched to Sheeshgarh to maintain order.
Dr. Tejveer Singh, the Police Circle Officer, intervened soon after the initial report of the incident emerged on Friday night. He swiftly summoned reinforcements from Shahi, Shergarh, and Devarnia police stations, with additional support from the Rapid Action Force (RAF) and Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) personnel.
As midnight approached, officials struggled to quell the crowd, which had settled into a protest near the Hindu teen's residence. Their demand for the teen to be brought outside only heightened the tension. Concurrently, members of a Hindu organization became active in the situation. Eventually, both teenagers and their fathers were brought out by the police, with detentions carried out once the crowd had dispersed.
Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) of Bareilly, Ghule Sushil Chandrabhan, assured that comprehensive video documentation of the entire ordeal had been completed. Appropriate actions would be taken against those found to have instigated discord, he stated. Authorities have emphasized that the situation is now under control, with a sense of peace gradually returning to Sheeshgarh.
