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A minor argument in Ashta, Sehore spiralled into communal violence on Sunday night, with stone-pelting, damaged vehicles and police firing tear gas to regain control. Karni Sena workers later blocked the Bhopal–Indore highway. Police say the situation is now under control. Watch video here.
In Madhya Pradesh's Sehore, a minor argument snowballed into alleged communal clashes on Sunday (Dec 21). Tensions flared in Ashta town of Sehore district on Sunday night after a clash between two communities spiralled into violence, forcing police to use tear gas to bring the situation under control. The unrest also led to a temporary blockade of the busy Bhopal–Indore highway by members of the Karni Sena, according to reports.
According to officials, the trouble started around 9 pm near Alipur Chowk on the old Bhopal–Indore road. What began as a minor disagreement quickly escalated, with people from both sides gathering near the rest house close to Parvati Bridge. The confrontation soon turned violent, with stone-pelting reported from both sides.
Several parked vehicles and those passing through the area were damaged during the chaos, triggering panic among residents and commuters.
Watch a video of the chaos here:
As per a Bhaskar English report, the initial argument involved a Karni Sena worker who was returning from a programme in Harda and a local youth. As word spread, more people assembled at the spot, and the situation slipped out of control. Stone-pelting followed, leading to damage to vehicles and public property.
Following the incident, Karni Sena workers blocked the Bhopal–Indore highway in protest. The blockade led to long traffic jams on both sides near the Chaupati area, causing major inconvenience to travellers. After administrative intervention and negotiations, efforts were made to clear the road.
By late night, traffic movement was gradually restored, though vehicles continued to move slowly for some time.
Teams from Parvati and Ashta police stations rushed to the scene after receiving information about the violence. When the crowd refused to disperse, police fired tear gas shells and carried out a brief lathi charge to push people back.
Given the seriousness of the situation, additional police forces were called in from nearby areas. Police presence was increased in sensitive pockets of the town, and continuous monitoring was put in place.
Police said the situation is currently under control. In an X statement, SP Sehore said, "Following the incident that occurred on 21.12.25 between two parties in the Parvati police station area, the situation was fully brought under control immediately by the police during the night itself. The movement of the general public and vehicles, as well as commercial activities, are proceeding smoothly; there is peace in the area, and police forces have been deployed on site as a precautionary measure."