Ahmadabad: On September 30th, the Vadodara Police arrested 20 individuals for allegedly causing religious offense during a procession held on the occasion of Eid Milad un Nabi in Padra, Gujarat's Vadodara district, according to a police official. Rohan Anand, Superintendent of Police (Vadodara Rural), reported that during the procession, some participants made obscene gestures and uttered words that offended religious sentiments while passing by a temple on the night of September 29th. Subsequently, a group of individuals from the Hindu community gathered outside the Padra police station to demand strict action against the offenders.

Based on a complaint filed by Ajay Parmar, an FIR was registered against 13 identified and other unknown individuals who were part of the procession. The accused were charged under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including sections 143 (unlawful assembly), 153A (promoting enmity between different groups), 294B (obscene acts and songs), 298 (uttering words with intent to wound religious feelings), and 323 (voluntarily causing hurt). An investigation into the incident is ongoing.

Gujarat Police have arrested three people while taking action against a DJ for playing slogans of ‘Sar Tan Se Juda’ during Eid-e-Milad procession in Vadodara.

The names of the accused are Haider Khan Pathan, Sarfaraz & Rahul Radheshyam Dhobi.#Gujarat pic.twitter.com/0ADR3nfbMy https://t.co/MDNqJLbrgT

— Rudhra Nandu (@rudhranandu) October 1, 2023

Reports suggest that clashes erupted between Hindu and Muslim communities during the Eid Milad procession in Padra on September 29th. Allegedly, when the procession reached the Ambaji temple, some Muslim youths clashed with Hindu youths and used offensive language that hurt the religious sentiments of the Hindu community. Hindus subsequently lodged a complaint with the police. During the procession, which was organized on the occasion of Eid-e-Milad-Un-Nabi (the birth anniversary of Prophet Muhammad), the Muslim community reached the Ambaji temple around 10 PM, where Hindu youths were distributing prasad (religious offering) in the temple. According to Hindu organizations, participants in the procession engaged in brawls with them, using obscene gestures and verbal abuse.

When tensions escalated, Hindu youths gathered at the Padra police station, demanding strict action against the Muslim youths making inciting remarks. The police arrived at the scene to disperse the crowd and restore order. CCTV footage is being analyzed to identify the accused individuals for further action. SP Rohan Anand stated that the presence of some of the youths making inciting remarks has been confirmed during the initial investigation. Ongoing investigations are aimed at identifying others involved. Preliminary findings indicate an altercation between procession participants and temple visitors that led to religious sentiment violations.

Reports also alleged that some Muslim youths carried swords and sticks during Eid processions, which is under police scrutiny. If the allegations are substantiated by the investigation and video footage, additional complaints may be filed. This incident is one of three similar events that have occurred in the past 48 hours. In two other incidents, stones were thrown at Hindu processions. On September 28th, during Ganesh Visharan, stones were pelted at a Ganesh Yatra in Manjusar, Savli Taluka, Vadodara. On September 29th, a Muslim mob pelted stones at the 'Shaurya Jagran Yatra,' organized by Bajrang Dal in Selamba, Narmada district. Police complaints have been registered for all three incidents, and district police are actively investigating the matters.

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