Tension erupted on 23 June 2024 at the Mahatma Gandhi Park in the Bhimganj area of Rajasthan’s Bhilwara district between some Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) swayamsevaks organizing their regular shakha and the Muslim community playing cricket. On Monday (24 June), Bhilwara police detained six minors and arrested six Islamists in connection with the attack on swayamsevaks.
Bhilwara Superintendent of Police Rajan Dushyant said, “Based on the FIR filed by a member of the Hindu community, six people have been arrested, and the same number have been detained. No untoward incident occurred.” The Bhilwara police force was deployed to maintain law and order. Police said many people had gathered at the spot and demanded police action, after which additional police forces were deployed. He said the situation is under control.
According to the FIR filed at the Bhimganj police station by RSS worker Vijay Soni, the Islamists attacked them around 6 to 7 pm on Sunday. Soni reported that around 7 to 8 swayamsevaks were present in the park when an Islamist named Arman arrived with a group of 20-25 individuals carrying cricket bats, stumps and other weapons and attacked the swayamsevaks. When Soni received a call about the incident, he rushed to the park along with other Hindus, and as people began to gather, the attackers fled the scene. The injured swayamsevaks were taken to the hospital for treatment.
Based on Vijay Soni’s complaint, the accused were booked under various IPC sections, including 147, 149, 341, 323, 504 and 509. The arrested accused Islamists have been identified as Aman, son of Abid Hussain; Ayan, son of Khalid; Abid Hussain, son of Abdul Gaffar; Mohammad Rafiq, son of Mohammad Salim; Israt, son of Ayyub Ali; and Shahid Khan, son of Pappu Khan.
According to specific reports, the conflict began when a cricket ball from the Muslim boys went near the RSS swayamsevaks involved in the shakha. When the Islamist boys attempted to retrieve the ball, an argument started, which intensified and led to physical violence, with the Islamists thrashing the swayamsevaks involved. As the news of this attack spread on social media, RSS and VHP workers gathered immediately and then proceeded to the local police station to protest and demand the arrest of the accused.
Local MLA Ashok Kothari also visited the police station to assess the situation and tried to resolve the issue. Hindu organizations staged a protest outside the police station, demanding strict action against the Islamists. The police authorities assured that the investigation was underway to gather more details and apprehend the other individuals involved.
Speaking with the Organizer, Vijay Soni stated that this is not a one-of-a-kind incident and that the shakha has faced numerous such attacks in the past. He mentioned that around 15 such attacks have occurred there in Mahatma Gandhi Park, mainly because of the resentment of the Islamists. According to him, they are not able to tolerate the fact that Hindus gather in an area with over 40% Muslim population, chant the Sangathan Mantra, and discuss Dharma and Hindu values every day.
Hindus of Rajasthan witness the second such attack in a week. Notably, just recently in June, a violent communal riot erupted in Sursagar, Jodhpur district of Rajasthan, between Islamists and the Hindu community over the removal of illegal construction by the Muslim community. In another bloodcurdling incident, two dead bodies of Hindu sadhus were discovered lying in an abandoned condition in Rajasthan’s Jhunjhunu district.
(Featured Image Source: Organizer)
