- Monday, March 03, 2025
By: Shubham Ghosh
Violence and arson rocked life in two states of India — West Bengal and Maharashtra– on Thursday (30) when the Hindu festival Ram Navami was celebrated across the country to mark the occasion of Lord Rama’s birthday. Two deaths were also reported from the two states.
In Bengal, located in eastern India, clashes broke out between two groups when a procession was taken out in the city of Howrah. Several vehicles were torched and shops were vandalised in the violence. A number of people were detained in connection with the incident.
Police officers used force to disperse the mob and it was only after a large contingent of police was deployed that the situation came under control.
State chief minister Mamata Banerjee, who is currently holding a sit-in demonstration against the Narendra Modi government in Delhi, said strict action will be taken against the culprits. While she accused right-wing outfits of disturbing peace by brandishing weapons while taking out processions, the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party counter-accused saying she disregarded Hindu sentiments.
In Aurangabad in Maharashtra, at least 12 people, including 10 policemen, were injured after a mob of nearly 500 people hurled stones and petrol-filled bottles at them when they tried to control the situation following a clash between two groups near a temple of Lord Rama, officials said.
There too, 13 vehicles were set ablaze by the miscreants in the intervening night of Wednesday (29) and Thursday and the police used tear gas and plastic bullets to disperse the mob.
There were also reports of pelting of stones at two marches in the western state of Gujarat. Reports of disturbance were also received in the northern state of Bihar and southern state of Karnataka.
At least 13 devotees were killed in the central Indian city of Indore when the floor of a temple where they gathered for offering puja collapsed under heavy footfall.
A number of people were detained in many parts of the country in relation to the disturbance.
The Ram Navami celebrations otherwise remained largely incident-free in the rest of India.
President Droupadi Murmu, vice president Jagdeep Dhankhar and prime minister Narendra Modi wished the nation on occasion.
(With PTI inputs)
