Clash erupts between Bhim Army and Hindu groups:3 injured in Datia stone-pelting; police use lathicharge and water cannons to control violent crowd

A violent clash broke out between Bhim Army and Hindu organizations in Indergarh town of Datia district on Friday afternoon during a protest over effigy burning. The confrontation escalated into stone-pelting and physical altercations, leaving three people injured. Police resorted to lathicharge and water cannons to disperse the crowd and restore order. The injured have been admitted to Indergarh Hospital, while additional police forces have been deployed across the town to prevent further unrest. Bhim Army members tried to burn Dhirendra Shastri’s effigy Around 200 members of the Bhim Army and Azad Samaj Party (ASP), led by Gwalior divisional president Keshav Yadav, took out a rally from Ambedkar Park to burn the effigy of Bageshwar Dham head Pandit Dhirendra Krishna Shastri. When the procession reached near Gwalior Chowk, the protestors set fire to the effigy nearly 25 feet before the designated site. At that moment, around 70-80 activists from Hindu organizations began raising slogans in opposition and burned an effigy of ASP leader Damodar Yadav in retaliation. The confrontation quickly turned into heated arguments, which the police initially managed to defuse. Second confrontation near police station The situation reignited soon after. Members of the Bhim Army and ASP reached the Indergarh police station, demanding the registration of an FIR against Dhirendra Shastri. They alleged that Hindu group members had used caste-based slurs and disrupted their program. As both groups were returning from the police station, they encountered each other again — leading to stone-pelting and chaos. Police intervened with lathicharge and water cannons, dispersing the crowd. Three individuals were injured, and several vehicles were damaged during the violence. Hindu leaders defend Shastri, condemn effigy burning Shiromani Singh Rathore, city president of the Sanatan Hindu Sangathan, said, Pandit Dhirendra Shastri speaks about ending caste divisions and promoting Sanatan unity. We will not allow anyone to burn effigies of saints. If they want to protest, they should protest against politicians, not saints. Rathore added that in response, Hindu groups had burned the effigy of Damodar Yadav. Legal row behind the protest The clash stemmed from a legal petition filed by Damodar Yadav, national president of the Dalit-Pichda Samaj Sangathan, in the High Court against Dhirendra Krishna Shastri. Yadav alleged that Shastri had abused and threatened him during the “Sanatan Ekta Padyatra.” To protest the incident, Keshav Yadav and his supporters organized the effigy-burning rally in Indergarh. Shastri responds, calls for unity beyond caste In response to the controversy, Dhirendra Krishna Shastri, during a religious discourse in Haryana, said: We have been provoked, and we will not remain silent. To save India and our culture, we must rise above caste divisions and stand united as Sanatanis. Police maintain vigil, identify key accused Police officials confirmed that they have identified key members from both organizations involved in the violence. Heavy police deployment continues in Indergarh to maintain peace and prevent further escalation.