The Chhattisgarh government has removed the District Collector and Superintendent of Police (SP) of Baloda Bazar district following recent violent unrest.
The transfer orders were issued late Tuesday night. IAS officer Deepak Soni has been appointed as the new District Collector of Baloda Bazar, while Vijay Agarwal will assume the role of SP.
The outgoing Collector, KL Chauhan, was reassigned as Special Secretary in the Ministry, whereas SP Sadanand Kumar was transferred to the Raipur Police Headquarters. Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai has ordered the immediate arrest of those responsible for the violence.
The violence, which erupted during a protest by the Satnami community, resulted in property damage estimated in crores. The BJP government in Chhattisgarh has attributed the unrest to a political conspiracy allegedly incited by the grand old party claiming that Congress legislators, former ministers, and leaders provoked the people. The government has also stated that it will seek compensation from those responsible for the damages.
In response, Congress has labeled the incident a failure of the state government and demanded the resignation of the Chief Minister. Congress leaders are scheduled to visit the incident site on June 14, while the Chamber of Commerce has called for a bandh in Baloda Bazar on June 13 in protest.
Seven FIRs have been registered in connection with the violence. So far, 73 individuals have been arrested, and 200 others are in custody. To apprehend the remaining perpetrators, the police have formed 12 teams, and 22 police officers have been assigned to the investigation.
The unrest traces back to an incident on the night of May 15, when a religious symbol, Jaitkham, located near the Baghin Cave in Manakoni, approximately 5 km from Giroudpuri Dham, was vandalised. Thousands of Satnami community members had been protesting at Dussehra Maidan near the Collectorate for several days. Although the police had arrested three individuals in connection with the vandalism, the community accused the authorities of protecting the real culprits, leading to heightened tensions.
The protests escalated on Monday, resulting in the destruction of 75 motorcycles, 20 cars and two fire trucks. Rioters vandalised vehicles parked at the Collectorate and set several of them on fire, destroying important documents. A white flag was hoisted on the flagpole in front of the Collector’s office. The ensuing clash between protesters and police left several people, including police officers, injured. Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma visited the site late Monday night to assess the situation.
One of the major losses from the unrest is the destruction of historical revenue records dating back 100 to 120 years, which were stored at the Baloda Bazar Collectorate. These records, crucial for resolving land disputes and issuing caste certificates, were irreplaceable, with no copies available elsewhere. This loss will complicate the resolution of revenue-related cases, affecting landowners and residents of the district.
Baloda Bazar became a separate district in 2011-12, and extensive records were transferred from Raipur to the new district offices. The destruction of these records means that authorities will face significant challenges in handling land ownership issues, registry documentation, and other revenue-related matters.
The state government’s swift administrative changes and the ongoing investigation aim to restore order and address the grievances of the affected community. However, the impact of the violence on administrative functions and the loss of historical records will be felt for a long time.