Police used mild force to disperse the supporters of two tribal groups, which clashed and threw stones at each other, during a Bhim assembly in Jhalawar district of Rajasthan on Sunday.
A big congregation of tribals was held by the Banswara – Dungarpur MP and the Bharat Aadiwasi Party (BAP) chief Rajkumar Roat on the major issue of social justice. However, in the deliberations at the meeting, the issue of the enhanced compensation (of Rs 50 lakh) to victims of Piplodi school ceiling Collapse dominated. It led to a situation of a divided house over the issue, apparently, due to a political allegiance-related tussle, official sources said.
The trouble erupted when a local Jhalawar group of tribals led by the ABVP leader and former student union president Arvind Bhil, reached the venue of the sammelan to attend the programme. The group was opposed and stopped by the organiser, MP Roat, supporting the BAP group. This led to heated exchanges and even a scuffle, police said.
The police intervened and used batons to disperse the clashing groups. The police also took Arvind Bhil into custody and escorted him to the police station.
This again agitated his supporters, who tried to resist the police’s bid to take Arvind Bhil away and also clashed with the Roat group. Some from the mob also threw stones.