Many policemen injured as 'devotees' clash in Meghalaya's West Jaintia Hills

Over a dozen policemen including an ASP were injured when two groups of devotees clashed in Meghalaya's West Jaintia Hills district, prompting the district administration to impose prohibitory order in the area, a senior police officer said Tuesday. 

The two groups clashed Monday night over the right to perform the rituals at the Nartiang Durga Temple after the death of the chief priest in March this year, the officer said. 

As the new priest tried to enter the temple the two groups attacked each other, forcing the police to intervene. In the melee, an additional superintendent of police (ASP) and over a dozen policemen were injured as the two groups attacked the police with sands, rocks and live embers, Superintendent of Police, Lakador Syiem said. 

The district deputy commissioner Garod LSN Dykes has imposed prohibitory order under section 144 CrPC in and around the village. 

The SP said additional security forces were deployed in and around the temple to ensure that no untoward incident takes place till the festivities are over. 

While informing that no arrests were made, the SP said the police have already identified the trouble mongers and all of them have fled the village fearing arrest. 

Nartiang Durga temple was closed soon after the death of the chief priest as there was a dispute as to who would conduct the puja at the temple resulting in the High Court intervening in the matter, officials said. 

A single bench of the High Court headed by Justice S R Sen had on September 14 ordered that the puja rituals should be performed in a pious and proper manner without any disturbance, they said. The court allowed the residents of Nartiang village to decide who will perform the ritual and if necessary to consult religious scholars in the matter. 

The deputy commissioner and the SP were asked to look into the law and order strictly and to ensure that puja is performed without any disturbance, the sources added.

(With inputs from agencies.)