'Motorcycles, Shops Burnt': How Cricket Celebration Turned Violent in MP's Mhow

The city's Qazi had claimed that "someone threw a Sutli bomb inside the mosque, which caused smoke and panic."

Unrest in MP's Mhow on the night of Champions' league victory.

(Photo: The Quint)

The celebration of India's victory in the Champions Trophy turned into violence and chaos on the night of 9 March, Sunday in Mhow, Indore district, Madhya Pradesh.

After India's win in the Champions Trophy, a procession was taken out in front of Jama Masjid, during which people from two communities came allegedly clashed. The situation escalated to the point where vehicles and shops were set on fire. Four people were injured in the incident.

So far, the police have registered eight separate FIRs in the case. Indore (Rural) IG Anurag stated that 10-12 people have been arrested so far. He also mentioned that the situation at the location is currently under control.

Now, let's take a look at how the conflict started and what the local people and police administration have to say about the matter.

What happened in Mhow on Sunday?

On Monday, March 10, Indore Collector Ashish Singh stated that the incident began near the mosque. As the procession was passing through, an argument broke out, which later escalated into a physical altercation.

He said, "The procession was moving in separate groups; there was no single unified procession. The conflict started with one of these groups, possibly due to firecrackers or some other reason. After that, it escalated into a larger incident. These details have emerged in our investigation so far."

Speaking to the media last night after the incident, DIG (Rural) Nimish Agrawal stated:

"In the central part of the city, stone-pelting incidents occurred at four to five locations. Stone-pelting took place from both sides. The identification of individuals involved is underway."

Nimish Agarwal, DIG (Rural)

Indore SP (Rural) Hitika Vasal stated, "During the procession after the match, some people burst firecrackers outside the mosque, which led to a dispute between both sides, resulting in stone-pelting from both groups."

Mhow Police Station in-charge Rahul Sharma told PTI that three cars and about a dozen two-wheelers were set on fire.

"Someone Threw a Sutli Bomb And..."

City Qazi Mohammad Jabir stated, "The Taraweeh prayer was underway when the procession passed by, making noise. During this time, someone threw a Sutli bomb inside, which caused smoke and panic. This is how the situation escalated."

Raising questions about the procession, he said:

"I don’t understand how this procession even took place. And secondly, how did it pass through this route? Who took permission for the procession? Can a procession be taken out without permission? And if permission was granted, then for how many people, how many vehicles, and under what circumstances was it approved?"

According to Jabir, the stone-pelting started in front of the police and administration. He said, "The situation escalated to stone-pelting because initially, there was a scuffle after some people threw bombs or other objects. At that moment, Amit Joshi arrived and started a conversation. I told him that we should discuss the matter calmly at the police station. After he left, the stone-pelting began from the other side."

Was Permission Taken For the Procession?

When asked about this in a conversation with The Quint, Indore (Rural) IG Anurag stated that there was no such procession. People had gathered suddenly after India's victory. He also denied the claim that a Sutli bomb was thrown into the mosque, calling it incorrect.

The Fight Happened in One Place, But Why Did Arson Occur in Other Areas?

The Quint also reached out to Amit Joshi, who was present at the scene during the incident. Joshi owns an electronics shop in the Manak Chowk area, about 700 meters away from Jama Masjid, where the conflict began. During the incident, Joshi had stepped out to buy bread.

Joshi said, "The city Qazi is asking, ‘Who gave permission for the procession?’ When India wins, do we need permission to take out a procession? This is a victory for the entire country."

He further stated, "No Sutli bomb was thrown. Nothing like that happened. The dispute arose simply because the procession passed in front of the mosque. People came out of the mosque and immediately started attacking."

"There is one more thing. The fight happened in one place, at Jama Masjid. But why did the arson and vandalism take place in other areas? It happened in all the places where the Muslim population is higher. This was done as part of a well-planned strategy."

He further says, "The procession had already passed. I was on my way home after buying bread. The city's Qazi was coming from the other side. He said, ‘You bring your people to the police station, and I will bring mine.’ I agreed. But as soon as I turned around, stone-pelting started from their side."

According to Amit, there were only 4-5 people from the Hindu side at the scene, while hundreds of people were present from the Muslim side.

"They Set My House on Fire"

The violence and chaos were not limited to the Jama Masjid area; nearby areas also witnessed unrest and clashes.

Radhe Shyam Kaushal’s house is located 100 meters from Jama Masjid at Patti Bazaar Square. He was inside his house during the violence. He recalls that the incident took place between 10:30 PM and 11 PM.

"During the dispute, the police had dispersed the Muslim crowd from near the mosque. However, 15-20 minutes later, they regrouped and specifically targeted three houses — my house, the Chauhan family’s house, and a neighboring house — throwing a lot of stones. They set my house on fire. They torched my brother’s car, set fire to a bike, and vandalized three to four other vehicles. They continued pelting stones at my house and my neighbor’s house for about an hour."

Radhe Shyam Kaushal

He further says, "Two boards of my laboratory were burned. Both were worth around 15-20 thousand. My bike was set on fire. They also set fire under the shutter of my shop, causing damage."

He explains that there was a crowd near Jama Masjid in Tal Mohalla, and another crowd in Patti Bazaar on this side.

FIR Filed Against 17 People

A bus operator has filed an FIR at Mhow police station, accusing individuals of stone-pelting and vandalizing three buses. The FIR names 17 people, and the police have registered the case under sections 191(2), 190, 296, 115(2), 324(4), 351(2), and 61(2) of the BNS.

In the FIR, the complainant stated:
"After India's victory, I was celebrating at Moti Mahal Square with my companions and peacefully taking out a procession. During this, people present there started abusing us. When we protested, they began pelting stones at us."

Mhow Police Station in-charge stated that all five incidents in Tal Mohalla, Seva Marg, Patti Bazaar, Manak Chowk, and Jama Masjid areas are being investigated.

"Muslims Also Suffered Losses": City's Qazi Mohammad Jabir

City Qazi Mohammad Jabir emphasized, "It’s not just the Hindu community that has suffered losses; the Muslim community has also been severely affected. Around 8 to 10 motorcycles belonging to Muslims were set on fire. Three to four shops were burned, and several others were vandalized. A former jailer’s vehicle was also torched."

He believes that the administration did not anticipate such an event after the India vs. New Zealand match. He further added, "A similar incident happened after the 2007 India-Pakistan match, but at that time, the situation was brought under control."

'Action Under NSA,' Says Collector

Responding to the violence, the administration is in action mode. Collector Ashish Singh stated, "We will take action against some individuals under the National Security Act (NSA). Additional FIRs may also be registered."

He further assured, "Strict legal action will be taken from our side to ensure that such incidents do not occur again. No responsible individual will be spared."

Police Deployment & Monitoring

IG (Rural) Indore, Anurag, stated: "Police forces have been deployed in the area. We are continuously monitoring the situation to maintain peace and order. People should not believe in any rumors. We are keeping an eye on everyone involved."

The situation was also given a communal angle by Mhow BJP MLA and former minister Usha Thakur remarked: "Strict legal action will be taken against those identified as throwing stones. Anti-national elements will not be allowed to flourish."

(Inputs from Abdul Wasim Ansari)