A clash today broke out between Dera Sacha Sauda followers and villagers over a religious congregation, forcing police to fire in the air and use mild force to bring the situation under control.
The clash between Dera members and villagers, mainly consisting of radical Sikhs, took place just hours after five Dera followers were injured in an alleged attack by a mob armed with guns and sharp-edged weapons last night.
Dera followers had reached grain market of Dhudike village here to hold their scheduled 'Naam Charcha' congregation when a mob comprising over 200 people shouted slogans against them, which led to the clash with both groups pelting stones at each other, police said.
Police had to fire in the air and used mild cane charge to disperse the crowd. However, there were no reports of any person getting injured, SSP Moga Kamaljit Singh Dhillon said.
"The situation has been brought under control and heavy police force has been deployed to prevent any untoward incident," he said.
Meanwhile, Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal, who also holds the Home portfolio, told reporters in Chandigarh that the situation in Moga is "under control".
Describing the incident as "minor and localised", Badal said the government was committed to maintain the law and order at any cost and that he was monitoring the situation.
The villagers have also blocked traffic on Dhudike-Ajitwal road in protest against giving permission to Dera followers to hold 'Naam Charcha'.
They also protested the rounding up of three members of their group including village sarpanch Jasdeep Singh over last night's incident.
Five Dera Sacha Sauda members were injured last night after a mob armed with guns and sharp edged weapons allegedly attacked Dera followers when they were making preparations for holding religious congregation, police said.
The injured followers were rushed to a private hospital for treatment, they added.
Warning Dera followers not to hold 'Naam Charcha' here, the mob allegedly fired gun shots and thrashed Dera members.
They also set three bikes on fire and damaged four two-wheelers, police said.
A case under various sections of IPC was registered against around 80 people on the complaint of Dera follower Gurmail Singh, resident of Butter Kalan village here.
