Mob attacks convoy of Rajasthan CM

JAIPUR: A group of people on Sunday overturned a police jeep and burned it at the ‘Gautam Rishi ka mela’ in Rajasthan’s Sirohi district, while Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje was addressing the gathering.

The panchayat and members of the local community had asked police to ensure that no uniformed personnel were allowed near the ashram of Gautam Rishi during the mela, and trouble erupted when people spotted some policemen in Raje’s motorcade.

Jodhpur’s Inspector General R K Reddy said, “Everything was under control and we were following their beliefs related to their deity. But suddenly, when the chief minister was inside the ashram, some 40 to 50 people came near her motorcade and burnt one of the jeeps.” Reddy denied reports that Raje was also attacked. “They manhandled the jeep’s driver and later overturned and burnt the vehicle,” he said, adding this happened when Raje was addressing the gathering almost two kilometres away from where the vehicle was parked.

The mela was organised by the Meena Samaj. Police will register a case against the perpetrators, Reddy said. After addressing the gathering, Raje left for Udaipur and the situation in Sirohi was under control.