The Hindu Mahasabha called a bandh in the town of Bundi in Rajasthan on Tuesday after more than 40 protestors were arrested and 600 were detained following violence by right wing activists over a disputed site, IANS reported.
The situation is under control, the Inspector General of Police of Kota range, Vishal Bansal, told India Today. “The administration will not allow any such activity that endangers peace.” Internet services in the town remained suspended and Section 144 was also in place, Bansal added.
On Monday, activists from Hindu organisations flouted Section 144 and marched towards a cenotaph – a monument built in memory of soldiers killed in war who are buried somewhere else – at Mandhata Balaji on Tiger Hill. They wanted to perform a puja at the site. The police lathicharged the activists to stop them from going to the disputed site. About 15 people were injured, The Times of India reported.
The cenotaph was reportedly damaged in a lightning strike decades ago. A worker reportedly saw a figure of Hindu god Hanuman in one of the damaged pillars during restoration work. In April 2016, Hindu groups installed the pillar as a Hanuman idol. However, the Muslim community in the area saw this as a provocative step and later a peace committee decided that Hindus would not hold prayers at the spot.
The Hindu Mahasabha, however, did not agree with the decision and had given a call for devotees to converge at the site on January 1.
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