In the wake of a recent communal flare-up during a Hanuman Jayanti procession, the Madhya Pradesh government has transferred Guna’s Superintendent of Police (SP), Sanjeev Kumar Sinha, and appointed IPS officer Ankit Soni as the new SP.
The administrative shake-up follows an incident on April 12, when a clash broke out near a mosque in the Colonelganj area during a religious procession. Stone-pelting was reported, and BJP councillor Omprakash Kushwah (alias Gabbar) alleged that shots were also fired at the procession.
A day later, Kushwah filed a complaint claiming the group was attacked without provocation. Police registered a case against 25 individuals on serious charges including attempt to murder, rioting, and vandalism, and 9 arrests have been made so far.
However, SP Sinha had earlier stated that CCTV footage did not confirm stone-pelting and that the procession lacked proper permission. His remarks reportedly upset several Hindu organizations. The situation escalated when police subsequently filed an FIR against Kushwah and other members of Hindu groups based on a complaint by ASI Mahesh Lakda, further intensifying the controversy.
Sources suggest that political pressure and growing dissatisfaction among certain groups contributed to the decision to transfer Sinha to Police Headquarters (PHQ).
With IPS Ankit Soni now taking over as the new SP of Guna, authorities are hoping to restore law and order while navigating the sensitive communal dynamics of the region.
