Jain Community Sects Clash Over Temple Dispute In Maharashtra

Two groups belonging to different sects of the Jain community clashed over a long-standing dispute in Shirpur area of Maharashtra's Washim district on Sunday, police said.

According to police sources, Digamber and Shwetamber sects of the community have been in conflict over plastering of Antarishkji Parshwanath Maharaj temple in Shirpur.

There were lot of civil suits and petitions in the Bombay High Court and Supreme Court about the same. The Apex Court on February 22 gave an interim judgement giving Shvetambers the right to carry out plastering of the idol in the temple, they said.

However, the nature of plastering itself was a matter of dispute between the two sects and the temple had remained closed over this issue since 1981.

Following the SC order, the temple was reopened after March 11 for plastering of the idol. However, on Saturday, a devotee belonging to the Shvetamber sect from Surat was attacked by a local man belonging to the other group, sources said.

To condemn the attack, people of the Shvetamber sect took out a morcha, which passed through Digamber locality, causing the clash, they said, adding that the situation was brought under control by the police.

Talking to PTI, Washim Superintendent of Police Bachchan Singh said senior police officers held meetings with people from both sects to maintain peace.

An offence will be registered in connection with the incident, he said.

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