Amid the model code of conduct in place ahead of MC elections in Punjab, as many as 30 people have been placed in preventive custody by police after two groups clashed at the Khojewal village in Kapurthala on Thursday, over a long-simmering dispute regarding a religious place at the village.
As tensions escalated, one of the groups of villagers called in supporters and nihangs from outside the village, with some villagers even attacking police personnel and raising slogans against the police, who tried to pacify the dispute.
The feud pertains to the religious place of Baba Sabhu Ji in Khojewal, a village ancestor and a Sufi ‘Peer’ (saint) revered across communities.
Police said one committee had been handling matters of the religious place for the past 40 years, and another set of progressive villagers recently staked a claim for heading the place.
Officials informed that while the saint was deemed a Sufi for long, and a hookah is also placed at the site, some villagers placed a Guru Ravidass portrait at the place about two years ago, due to a sizable following among the Ravidassia community. The placement of a hookah near Guru Ravidass’ portrait has lately begun inviting objections from many.
Amid ongoing tussles, one of the groups recently began placing posters and invites to host an annual mela for the saint, which caused tensions to skyrocket in the village, leading to a major clash today.
One of the feuding groups called in nihangs, leading to a massive standoff. About 40 to 50 villagers clashed at the village this afternoon, soon after which, the police arrived. The Kapurthala DSP Sheetal Singh, Sadar Kapurthala SHO, and the local chowki in charge reached the spot. SDM Kapurthala, Dr. Irwin Kaur, also arrived at the village.
With police attempts to pacify agitated villagers, given a code of conduct was in place, some villagers tried to attack police. The group leading the older committee held sloganeering against the police, chanting “Punjab Police Murdabad".
The police and administrative members eventually pacified the members with a proposal for a new 12-member committee with six members each from both the former committees.
To prevent further escalation of tensions, police placed 15 people from each group into preventive custody and a heavy police force has been deployed at the village to keep things in check.
Meanwhile, police said no permissions had been granted yet to any committee to host the fair, nor has an FIR been filed, as the preventive action is currently deemed adequate, police said.
DSP Kapurthala Sub Division Sheetal Singh said, “This is a long dispute at the village, regarding which we had also visited the village on Tuesday. The current feud is regarding the hosting of the fair. 15 people from each side have been placed into preventive custody. Villagers did get agitated and tried to attack personnel and raised slogans, but the situation was quickly brought under control. Currently, an FIR isn’t deemed necessary, since the village is peaceful. We are closely watching the situation."
The local chowki in charge said a 12-member committee had currently been constituted by the SDM, comprising three members each (a total of six, from the three Powar community members in each committee) and three more independent members, each, from two older committees.
