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A mob armed with wooden sticks barged into the Magneto Mall in Chhattisgarh’s capital Raipur city on Wednesday and vandalised decorations and installations made for Christmas. The incident occurred on the day there was a call for ‘Chhattisgarh bandh’ to protest the alleged illegal conversions.
The group vandalised Christmas-related decorations even as the security guards made futile attempts to stop the mob.
An employee of the mall, requesting anonymity, said: “Around 80-90 people barged in… we were supporting the protest. For the last 16 years, since we began operations here, we have always supported bandh calls. But I have never seen such behaviour. The mob threatened us…shouted at us. They indulged in violence.”
Another employee said, “Some women were crying… they (mob) were charging at all those who were trying to stop them. They kept saying we do not want to see Santa. People who had come to watch movies got scared.”
A day-long ‘Chhattisgarh bandh’ on Wednesday was called by the Sarva Hindu Samaj against the alleged religious conversions.
The call for Bandh was triggered by the recent clash between two communities over the burial of a person in Bastar region’s Kanker district.
Though the bandh received a mixed response in the state, some places saw incidents of violence. While many shops and commercial establishments remained shut in urban areas in the state, the bandh’s impact was comparatively limited in some rural pockets.
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On December 18, several people, including more than 20 police personnel, were injured in violence at Badetevda village in Kanker district following a dispute between two communities over the burial of a man.
The dispute began on December 16 after Rajman Salam, sarpanch of Badetevda village, buried his father’s body on his private land as per Christian rituals. The incident eventually led to a mob vandalising a prayer hall and setting fire to articles inside. The body was later exhumed as per legal procedures and buried in a burial ground.
Jayprakash S Naidu is a Principal Correspondent for The Indian Express, currently serving as the state correspondent for Chhattisgarh. With an extensive career in frontline journalism, he reports on the political, security, and humanitarian landscape of Central India. Expertise and Experience Specialized Conflict Reporting: Jayprakash is a leading voice on the Maoist/Naxalite conflict in the Bastar region. His reporting provides a critical, ground-level view of: Internal Security: Tracking high-stakes encounters, surrender programs for senior Maoist leaders, and the establishment of security camps in formerly inaccessible "heartland" villages. Tribal Rights & Displacement: Investigative reporting on the identity and land struggles of thousands of displaced tribals fleeing conflict zones for neighboring states. Governance & Bureaucratic Analysis: He consistently monitors the evolution of Chhattisgarh as it marks 25 years of statehood, covering: Electoral Politics: Analyzing the shift in power between the BJP and Congress and the impact of regional tribal movements. Public Policy: Reporting on landmark infrastructure projects (e.g., mobile connectivity in remote zones) and judicial interventions, such as High Court rulings on civil and family law. Diverse Investigative Background: Prior to his current focus on Chhattisgarh, Jayprakash held reported from Maharashtra, where he specialized in: Crisis & Disaster Management: Notable for his extensive coverage of the Cyclone Tauktae barge tragedy (P-305) and the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on frontline personnel. Legal & Human Rights: Investigative pieces for platforms like Article-14, focusing on police accountability and custodial deaths across India. Environmental & Social Justice: Authoritative reporting on the Hasdeo Aranya forest protests and the approval of major tiger reserves, highlighting the tension between industrial mining and environmental preservation. ... Read More
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