New Delhi: Ratlams Jaora area in Madhya Pradesh witnessed massive protests after the severed head of a cow was discovered at the Lord Jagannath Mahadev temple on Friday. The incident, which deeply offended the local Hindu community, led to the arrest of two suspects and the subsequent demolition of their homes. The shocking event came to light early in the morning when the temple priest arrived for his daily duties. To his horror, he found the bleeding head of a cows calf within the temple premises. The priest immediately alerted the police and local residents. Following the incident, Hindu groups and devotees gathered at the temple.The discovery ignited outrage among the Hindu community. In response, local Hindu organizations organized a shutdown of Jaoras market and blocked a major four-lane road. Hundreds of protestors marched to the Jaora police station, demanding the immediate arrest and public prosecution of those responsible.Watch the video here:#Ratlam: A Muslim mans house was bulldozed on suspicion of cow desecration at Jagannath temple, Javra. The temple priest found a severed cow head, sparking chaos. Two suspects were detained one house demolished without proper investigation. Note: Temple CCTV was non-functional. pic.twitter.com/q8wf3OOqnm— Conflict Watch (@ConflictWatchX) June 15, 2024Police use tear gas on protestersDespite efforts by police and administration officials, including CSP Durgesh Armo, DIG Manoj Singh, and district collector Rajesh Batham, to calm the protestors, the crowd remained adamant. The situation escalated, forcing the police to use tear gas and lathi charge to disperse the protestors.Zakir and Shakir arrestedThe police promptly initiated an investigation and identified two suspects, Zakir and Shakir, from CCTV footage. The footage revealed the suspects arriving on a motorcycle and throwing pieces of beef into the temple around 2:41 AM on the night of June 13-14. The police immediately detained them and began questioning them to determine if they acted at someone elses instigation.A cow was slaughtered and her head thrown inside the Jagannath temple complex of Ratlam Jaora, Madhya Pradesh by Md Zakir and Shakir.After huge protest by Hindus, police & administration bulldozed the houses of both accused.Pictures of limping criminals after arrest, would… pic.twitter.com/V0CIIRKZor— SK Chakraborty (@sanjoychakra) June 14, 2024Accused illegal construction demolishedASP Rakesh Khakha reported that the houses of the accused were found to have unauthorized constructions, which were demolished with the assistance of the district administration. Senior police officials oversaw the demolition process.Restoration and security measuresThe Jagannath Mahadev temple was cleansed and purified on Friday evening, after the incident. In response to the heightened tensions, a big police presence has been established throughout Jaora to prevent further unrest. The city resembles a curfew-like state, with police stationed at key points to maintain order.
