Students Clash Over Lighting Lamps For Ram Temple Event In Madhya Pradesh

Two groups of students clashed at the BR Ambedkar University of Social Sciences (BRAUSS) campus over the lighting of lamps to celebrate the Ram Lalla idol consecration at the newly built temple in Ayodhya, leaving a pupil injured at Mhow in Madhya Pradesh's Indore district, a police official said on Tuesday.

The incident occurred on Monday night, hours after the idol consecration ceremony concluded in the Uttar Pradesh town, and the police registered two separate cases based on cross-complaints on Tuesday. The university, on its part, has formed a committee to probe the matter.

Badgonda police station in-charge Kailash Solanki said the trouble started when a group of students belonging to the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), affiliated to the RSS, were lighting earthen lamps inside the campus and bursting crackers to mark the consecration of the Ram Lalla idol.

Members of another group of students opposed organising such an event inside the campus, leading to a clash between the two sides, he said.

Kailash Solanki said one student was injured in the incident.

Based on cross-complaints from the students belonging to the ABVP and their rival camp, police registered cases under IPC sections 34 (common intention), 294 (obscene acts), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), and 506 (criminal intimidation) against 11 pupils from both sides, he said.

When contacted, the university's officiating Vice-Chancellor Dr D K Verma, said, "Students went to the police without our knowledge, but taking the matter seriously, I have set up a disciplinary committee, which has been asked to submit a report within two days. Based on the committee report, further action will be taken in the matter."

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