Hanuman Janmotsav rally attacked by radical Islamists [ Odisha, India ]

[ Reported as seen ]

On April 12, a bike rally organised by ‘Hanuman Jayanti Samanyoy Samiti and Bajrang Dal was attacked by radical Islamists while it was passing by a masjid in the  the Dhanupali area in Sambalpur, Odisha.

When the police intervened, the radicals attacked them as well as the Hindu devotees,  Videos of the incident show continuous stone pelting near a masjid and adjacent lane. The bikes and scooters used in the rally are seen lying scattered as the stone pelting disrupts the bike rally. Police personnel were seen making futile attempts to prevent the mob from attacking, while abusive words are heard.

IIC Anita Pradhan has been shifted to VIMSAR, Burla for the treatment of injuries on her face. An unidentified Hindu man lay dead wearing saffron clothes was seen lying on the road. 10 Police personnel including 30 Hindu youths were injured.

“All Hindus living in ‘Muslim areas’ here have locked themselves in their houses out of fear,”  tweeted Ashwini Shrivastava.

After the stone pelting, the violence gradually spread in the area as the angry mob started setting fire to local shops and stalls. Several bikes and cars have been damaged in the violence too.

The bike rally started from Sambalpur city’s Govind Tala Square and proceeded to Jail Square, Motijharan Square, Sakshi Pada, Lakshmi talkies, and Modipada areas to make a ‘Parikrama’ of the city. However, in Dhanupali Square, the rally came under severe stone pelting from a nearby mosque.

The people participating in that rally reportedly started pelting the stones back to stop the attack. However, the violence spread and soon turned into arson and vandalism.