Members of several Hindu organisations gathered outside Sihora police station in Jabalpur district on Friday, chanting the Hanuman Chalisa and pressing authorities to take action over a stone-pelting episode at Azad Chowk that heightened communal tensions in the area.Police officials confirmed that the incident occurred earlier this week at Azad Chowk, a busy intersection in Sihora town, where groups reportedly clashed and stones were thrown, damaging property and prompting a swift security response. No fatalities were reported, though a number of individuals sustained minor injuries. Additional police forces were deployed to prevent escalation, and patrols were intensified across sensitive pockets of the town.
Friday’s demonstration unfolded under close supervision, with participants assembling outside the Sihora police station and reciting the devotional hymn associated with Lord Hanuman. Organisers said the gathering was intended to express protest against what they described as inadequate preventive measures and to demand the arrest of those responsible for the violence. Placards calling for stricter enforcement and swift prosecution were visible among the crowd.
Senior officers from Jabalpur district police maintained that investigations are under way and that video footage from the vicinity of Azad Chowk is being examined to identify suspects. Officials stated that cases have been registered under relevant sections of the penal code relating to unlawful assembly, rioting and damage to property. They added that any attempt to disturb public order would be dealt with firmly.
Local administration representatives urged calm and appealed to residents not to circulate unverified information on social media, warning that rumours could inflame tensions further. Internet services were not suspended, but monitoring of online platforms was stepped up to counter misinformation. Authorities also convened meetings with community leaders in an effort to restore confidence and maintain peace.
The Azad Chowk locality has historically been a mixed commercial and residential zone, and while Jabalpur district has witnessed sporadic communal flare-ups in past years, large-scale disturbances have been infrequent. Security analysts note that even limited confrontations in small towns can assume broader political overtones, especially when amplified by local organisations seeking accountability.
Representatives of the groups participating in Friday’s recitation said their action was symbolic and peaceful. They argued that visible religious expression was a means of asserting solidarity after what they termed an attack during a public gathering. Police officials, however, indicated that preliminary inquiries suggest the clash may have stemmed from a dispute between rival groups that escalated rapidly, rather than from a pre-planned assault on any specific community.
District authorities confirmed that preventive detentions had been carried out to pre-empt further disorder. Barricades were placed at key junctions in Sihora, and officers conducted flag marches in coordination with the civil administration. Educational institutions and markets in the immediate vicinity of Azad Chowk functioned with reduced footfall as residents assessed the security situation.
Legal experts say that the outcome of the investigation will hinge on forensic examination of video recordings and witness statements. The Madhya Pradesh government has, in previous instances of communal disturbance, invoked stringent provisions to fast-track prosecutions and recover damages from those found responsible for vandalism. Whether similar measures will be applied in this case remains to be seen.
Political leaders across the spectrum have called for restraint. Some have emphasised the need for impartial investigation and warned against communal polarisation, while others have criticised what they describe as administrative lapses. Jabalpur’s district administration has refrained from attributing motive pending completion of the inquiry.
Residents in Sihora expressed mixed reactions. Shopkeepers near Azad Chowk reported temporary losses due to shuttered establishments and decreased customer traffic. Community elders said maintaining harmony in a town where families have lived side by side for decades should remain the priority. Civil society groups appealed for dialogue and cautioned that public demonstrations, even if peaceful, could reignite tensions if not carefully managed.