Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Ganesh idols damaged due to broken and uneven roads became the basis of spreading false rumours of stone pelting on Ganesh Visarjan procession in Arif Nagar on Monday night.
The allegations turned out to be false after police investigation revealed that it was fuelled by personal rivalry and misinformation. Police investigations revealed that the damaged idols were misused to settle old disputes by spreading rumours.
Charan Singh Kushwaha, president of Hindu Ekta Nav Yuvak Ganesh Utsav Samiti, lodged a police complaint, accusing three men, Abdul Haleem, Sahil alias Sahil Baccha, and Yameen Khan for throwing stones at the procession. He alleged that stones damaged both small and large idols. Based on his complaint, police registered a case.
However, subsequent investigation and CCTV analysis provided no evidence of stone pelting. Instead, it emerged that idols were damaged when the vehicle carrying them jolted on a rough patch of road. The large idol remained intact, but two smaller ones suffered minor damage.
Further investigation pointed to an enmity between the complainant and accused Haleem. Kushwaha had earlier lodged a complaint against Haleem in August over a dispute related to tire scrap unloading. Similarly, Haleem himself had filed a case against Kushwaha and his associates for assault and vehicle damage.
Inspector Mahendra Singh Thakur confirmed that Haleem was present at his scrap shop during the incident. Sahil, with past criminal record was found involved in another disturbance at Rambha Nagar around the same time, which is nearly a kilometre away from the procession route. Even the third accused, Yameen, was named only on the basis of rumours.
The complainant Charan Singh Kushwaha later in his statement claimed having named the accused on the basis of accounts of some eyewitnesses.
Action for misleading police
Police will now take action for filing false complaints. Police commissioner Harinarayanachari Mishra said if allegations were proven baseless, action would now be taken against those who deliberately spread false information under Section 217 of BNS for misleading authorities.
