Udaipur : Tension brewed up in Salamgarh, a small town in Pratapgarh district on monday morning forcing the police to lob teargas shells, aerial fire and baton charge. Anarchy prevailed in the area for hours after hundreds of people from the tribal community entered the settlement carrying batons. They forced the shopkeepers to shut the shops, market was completely closed. A mob barged into the Salamgarh police station, attacked the cops, snatched rifle from one of the guards and damaged public property, furniture and computer and even cause damage to motorcycles parked outside the station. They pelted stones at the cops when the force tried to control them.Additional forces were called in along with the VajraVahan. The mob attacked the police with their traditional weapon ‘Gophan’ which catapulted stones with jet speed. The mob was dispersed only after teargas shells were lobbed. Later a flag march was held to reinstate law and order in the area. “The situation is completely under control and additional forces including two companies have been deployed in the area, the situation has been handled peacefully and peace has been completely restored” collector Bhanwarlal Mehra told Udaipur Kiran.
According to sources, the outburst was a reaction against the police for reportedly not taking action against some men from the Rajput community who had allegedly raped an adivasi girl and beaten up some boys from a nearby village who had gone to pluck khajoor from the jungle area few days ago.
The children were caught by a gang of men who thrashed the boys while the girl was brutally raped. An FIR was lodged and complaint was given against five people, however, police arrested only two of them, the rest left out for hailing from influential background. The tribals from Khoriya and Badi Sankhthali villages and adjoining areas made repeated appeals to the authorities for impartial action and warned a violent protest and Gherao, however, the authorities perhaps did not take their pleads seriously.
On Sunday evening too, tension brewed up in Badi Sankhthali village after police arrested one of the tribal leader. Dozens of villagers staged dharna and additional forces had to be deployed in the area. On Monday morning, tribal villagers in large number marched towards the police station and covered the entire settlement. They gheraoed the police station and barged inside creating ruckus and turned aggressive.