BHOPAL
: Shots were fired in a bloody clash between two groups over the naming of a road crossing in Eintkheri on Bhopal’s outskirts on Wednesday night, killing one person and injuring eight.
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Police have registered a case of murder, attempted murder and rioting on the basis of complaints filed by both groups against each other. Six suspects have been detained.
Some local residents said they had filed a complaint with Eintkheri police on Tuesday, but the cops did not take appropriate action, which led to the dispute turning violent.
Eintkheri SHO Karan Singh said members of the Pal community wanted to rename Harsiddhi Square on Dobra main road as Pal Square, but members of Meena community were against it. The Pal community put up a board at the square on Tuesday, after which quarrels broke out between Meena and Pal groups.
Meena community members filed a complaint with police, after which cops met both sides and tried to resolve the dispute. However, quarrels broke out again on Wednesday on the same issue. Around 9.30pm, two groups came face to face. Heated words led to a fistfight, which escalated in no time. Soon, both sides were attacking each other with rods and lathis.
Police say accused Sanjay Pal took out his licensed 12-bore shotgun and began shooting. Shubham Meena and Karan Meena were hit by pellets, while Komal Singh was injured by splinters. Four others — Ramesh Singh, Ajay Meena, Akshay Meena and Anand Meena — suffered head injuries after being hit with sticks. Two members of the Pal community were also injured.
26 booked from both groups for violenceThe violence continued for over half an hour until police arrived and broke up the fight. Shubham died during treatment on Thursday.
The others are in hospital. SI Singh said police registered a case on a complaint filed by Santosh Meena against 18 accused of the Pal community, including Sanjay and Nirmal Pal and two women. A counter-case was registered on a complaint filed by Nirmal against eight members of the Meena community. Six of the accused — Badri Prasad Pal, Naresh Pal, Rajesh Pal, Narmada Pal, Shubham Pal and Nirmal Pal — have been arrested. Nirmal is the secretary of Khejra gram panchayat. Police have been deployed in force in the locality.