An alleged case of Love Jihad led to violent clashes in Alwar district of Rajasthan on Saturday, reports Dainik Jagran.

After a Hindu girl and Muslim boy eloped from their homes in Gugrawar Rundh village on Thursday, the girl’s parents and Hindu organizations called for a Mahapanchayat. Muslim villagers were also called for the  panchayat i.e. gathering of village elders. But things got heated and agitated members from both sides started pelting stones on each other. Alwar-Bharatpur highway was blocked by the Hindus who demanded that the district administration investigate the matter and recover the girl asap.

Police resorted to lathi charge to disperse the crowd. The mob also pelted stones at the police and attacked nearby vehicles, setting a few on fire. Additional forces were rushed to control the situation, and cases have been lodged against a few people suspected to be involved in the violence.

Ramgarh police said that the girl’s family had lodged a missing person complaint in Aravali Vihar police station. An earlier meeting held in the village on Thursday to resolve the matter failed to yield any result, following which the Hindus decided to hold the Mahapanchayat.

Navbharat Times reports that calls were made to boycott a particular community at the gathering. The Panchayat organizers claim that they themselves had invited administration officials to make them aware of the climate of insecurity and fear that exists in their village after several similar cases of Love Jihad. Amar Ujala adds that the villagers turned violent after the  District Collector and SP didn’t arrive at the Panchayat to listen to their concerns over the disappearance of several girls in similar circumstances.

Incidentally, Alwar district of Rajasthan (adjacent to Haryana’s Mewat region) is one of the hotbeds of cattle smuggling and frequently witnesses shootouts between police and the beef mafia. But the cattle smuggling makes it to national news only in the odd case when a cattle smuggler is killed in a clash with villagers aka gau rakshaks. As per Census 2011, Hindus constitute 83% and Muslims 15% of Alwar’s population .

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