At least 16 people have been booked for breaching police barricades and deviating from an authorised route during a Muharram procession in Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh. The incident led to injuries among police personnel and required forceful intervention to restore order.
According to officials, the confrontation occurred around 3:45 a.m. on Sunday near the Khajurwadi Masjid, under the jurisdiction of Jiwajiganj police station. A large group of participants allegedly diverted from the designated route and attempted to force a ceremonial horse through police barricades. The structure collapsed under pressure, and the horse reportedly fell, triggering chaos.
A video that surfaced on social media shortly after the incident appeared to show a group of young men carrying sticks, vaulting over the collapsed barricades. The footage also showed the horse collapsing amid the commotion, followed by police using batons to disperse the crowd.
Speaking to The Hindu, City Superintendent of Police (Jiwajiganj), Sumit Agrawal, confirmed that an FIR had been lodged against 16 people, including the horse’s owner, identified as Irfan alias Lalla. “The case has been registered under Sections 191(1)(2), 121(1), and 132 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS),” he stated.
Agrawal reported that four to five officers sustained injuries in the incident. “They have received treatment, and X-rays have been conducted. We had to resort to a lathi charge to regain control of the situation,” he added.
Despite the disruption, authorities confirmed that the procession resumed and concluded safely by 1 p.m. the same day under heightened security. “The situation is now normal. There is no tension in the area, but we remain on alert and have ensured adequate security deployment,” said Sumit Agrawal.
He also highlighted that the route for the Muharram procession had been discussed and finalised during a coordination meeting with local community leaders at the police control room days before the event. “We had barricades set up at points that were not part of the approved route. The diversion seemed deliberate and pre-planned to create a disturbance,” Agrawal told The Hindu.
Maksood Ali, a local Congress leader and organiser of another Muharram procession in a nearby locality, called for strict action against those who disrupted the procession. “The procession was on the ninth day of Muharram and was supposed to proceed straight. But some people diverted it towards the barricaded road leading to Geeta Colony and tried to force their way through,” he said.
Ali, who also serves as joint secretary of the Eid Miladunnabi Juloos Committee, criticised those who failed to abide by the route discussed in the coordination meeting. “If anyone had concerns, they should have raised them during the meeting. This kind of behaviour not only causes chaos but also invites a lathi charge. Strict action must be taken against the culprits and those responsible for ensuring the route was followed,” he told reporters.
