The situation in Jabalpur is now normal, the police have said.
Five police personnel sustained injuries in Jabalpur city, Madhya Pradesh, after a group of people taking part in a religious procession allegedly threw stones and firecrackers at them. The police team had to use batons and tear gas shells to disperse the mob. The violence came hours after disruption and alleged lathicharge in Dhar during another procession on the occasion of Milad-un-Nabi, the birth anniversary of Prophet Muhammad. The Dhar police, however, denied any use of force.
Police sources said the violence in Jabalpur started after the team stopped a group of men from playing loud music in the communally sensitive area, where prohibitory orders under Section 144 CrPc was declared.
Senior police officer SP Siddharth Bahuguna said, "Anti-social elements indulged in violence, after which the police swung into action".
"The situation is now normal and those who indulged in violence are being identified for appropriate legal action," he added.
In Dhar, men participating in a procession allegedly entered into scuffle with the police while attempting to lead the procession through a route for which they had no permission.
This led to a dispute with the police. According to eyewitnesses, the police then used batons to disperse the crowd. The procession was allowed to continue later on the designated route.
Aditya Pratap Singh, the Superintendent of Police, Dhar, said, "There was no incident of lathicharge. A route was fixed for the Milad-un-Nabi procession, but some disruptive people got involved and insisted on taking the traditional route for the procession."
"Such people were forced out and the procession was later taken out peacefully... Those who created trouble are being identified through the video footage and appropriate legal action will be taken against them," Mr Singh said.