Muharram Procession Turns Chaotic in Madhya Pradesh: Horse Rams Barricades, 5 Policemen Injured

Five police personnel were injured in Madhya Pradesh’s Ujjain district on Sunday after a barricade collapsed during a Muharram procession. The incident took place near Khajurwadi Masjid when participants reportedly tried to force their way through a restricted route, using a horse to ram into the barricades, according to a PTI report.

The situation escalated into a clash between the crowd and police, prompting officers to use a lathi charge to bring things under control.

“The procession route had been clearly decided in advance, and organisers were instructed not to take horses through certain restricted areas,” said Ujjain Superintendent of Police Pradeep Sharma. “Despite the warning, a horse was used to break through the barricade, and we had to use force to disperse the crowd. They fled, leaving the horse behind.”

Among the injured were Assistant Sub-Inspector Khuman Singh Kelwa, Head Constables Mukesh Munia, Anil Sisodia, and Chandrapal, along with Constable Shyam Singh. All five were treated with first aid at the district hospital, according to Jiwajiganj SHO Vivek Kanodia.

Sixteen people, including the organisers of the procession, have been booked under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for rioting, unlawful assembly, and obstructing public servants from performing their duties. The horse used in the incident reportedly belongs to a man named Irfan alias Lalla from Begum Bagh.

The incident comes amid heightened security across several states during Muharram. In a separate tragedy, one person was killed and three others injured in Jharkhand’s Giridih district after a Muharram procession accidentally came in contact with a high-tension wire.