Tension in Chomu after stone-pelting at police over mosque railing dispute

Chomu town in Rajasthan’s Jaipur district witnessed a tense early morning on Friday after a dispute over the installation of an iron railing outside a mosque escalated into clashes between local residents and police.

The incident occurred around 3 a.m. near the Chomu bus stand, prompting stone-pelting that left at least six policemen injured. Most of the officers sustained head injuries and have been admitted to a nearby hospital in stable condition. Several police vehicles were also damaged during the violence.

According to authorities, the unrest followed the removal of stones placed along the roadside near the mosque. A community meeting on Thursday evening had resulted in an agreement to remove the stones voluntarily. However, tensions resurfaced when some individuals began installing an iron railing to create a boundary near the mosque.

As police attempted to intervene, a section of the crowd turned violent, pelting stones at officers. Additional police forces were deployed from Chomu, Harmada, Vishwakarma and Daulatpura to control the situation. Tear gas shells were fired and mild force used to disperse the rioters.

By Friday morning, senior officials reported that the situation had stabilised. Hundreds of police personnel conducted a flag march across the town to restore public confidence. Additional Police Commissioner Dr Rajiv Pachar, DCP West Hanuman Prasad and Additional DCP Rajesh Gupta, along with other senior officers from Jaipur, monitored the area.

Authorities confirmed that the area is currently peaceful and a search is underway to identify those involved. Legal action will be taken against all accused, and officials warned that any attempts to disturb law and order would not be tolerated.

Former Chomu MLA Ramlal Sharma said internet services are operational, though WhatsApp and bulk messaging services remain suspended. Residents were urged to maintain peace and harmony as normalcy returns to the town.

With IANS inputs