Fourteen police injured in stone pelting in Bhopal

Fourteen policemen were today injured in stone pelting resorted to by people opposing an anti-encroachment drive in which a temple was flattened at a posh area—Char Imli—here, police said.

The trouble started when the anti-encroachment squad of Bhopal Municipal Corporation (BMC), with police protection, started its drive before the dawn under Habibganj police station area, they said.

Angry at this, the nearby slum dwellers taking advantage of darkness threw stones at police, injuring them, additional superintendent of Police (New City) Ruchi Vardhan told PTI.

She said the BMC had sought police protection to carry out its drive against encroachments which have sprung up unlawfully on government land at Char Imli, adding that a temple, opposite to Hanuman Temple, has been removed.

ASP said that heavy police force has been deployed in the area, adding that the situation was under control.

Habibganj police said that a dozen people have been arrested in connection with the stone pelting incident.

Meanwhile, activists of some right wing organisations have gathered in the locality and staging protest alleging that the act of BMC to raze to the ground a temple has hurt the religious sentiments of the people.