Muharram procession participants use horse to ram into barricades in MP; 5 cops injured, 16 booked

Ujjain: Five policemen were injured on Sunday in Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh when barricades fell on them after participants in a Muharram procession tried to take a ceremonial horse through a prohibited route, an official said.

A cane charge was carried out to bring the situation under control near Khajurwadi Masjid under Jiwajiganj police station limits after some of those taking part in the procession clashed with police, the official added.

"The route had been finalised in advance and organisers of the procession were clearly instructed not to take horses through prohibited paths. Despite this, those in the procession tried to force their way after getting the horse to ram into the barricades," Superintendent of Police Pradeep Sharma told reporters.

"We had to resort to lathi charge to disperse the crowd. They fled leaving the horse behind," he added.

Jiwajiganj Station House Officer Vivek Kanodia said assistant sub inspector Khuman Singh Kelwa, head constables Mukesh Munia, Anil Sisodia, Chandrapal and constable Shyam Singh were injured and received first aid at the district hospital.

"The horse used to topple the barricade belongs to one Irfan alias Lalla from Begum Bagh. Sixteen persons, including the organise, were booked under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for rioting, unlawful assembly and obstructing public servants from discharging their duty," Kanodia said.