A day after incidents of stone-pelting and clashes were reported in Madhya Pradesh's Dhar, Jabalpur and Barwani districts, state Home Minister Narottam Mishra on Wednesday said four persons were arrested, five were detained and cases were registered against more than 100 people in connection with the violence.
Talking to reporters, the minister said anybody making a malicious attempt to disturb the peace in Madhya Pradesh will face "harshest action".
In Dhar city, there was a ruckus on Tuesday after members of a procession, held on the occasion of Milad-un-Nabi, deviated from the permitted route. While eyewitnesses had claimed that mild force was used to disperse people after a dispute over the route, the police denied using lathi-charge at the gathering.
In Rajpur town of Barwani, some people including a police official were injured in stone-pelting following a dispute over an "objectionable" song being played during a religious procession, officials said.
In Jabalpur, police used lathi-charge and lobbed teargas shells after some persons threw firecrackers and stones at them while gathering for prayers to mark Milad-un-Nabi, they said.
Asked about Tuesday's incidents, Mr Mishra said, "The situation is under control in Dhar, Barwani and Jabalpur. Four persons were arrested and 85 named in different FIRs registered by police in Dhar. Besides, five people were detained in Jabalpur and 24 named in an FIR registered there."
The police are on alert and monitoring the situation, he added.
