A group of idol makers were booked in Indore, Madhya Pradesh after they were assaulted by Bajrang Dal workers for allegedly making “objectionable” idols of Lord Ganesh, officers said on Monday.
According to the police, three artisans — Chandranath Pal, Ratanlal Pal, and Raju Pal — were booked for allegedly hurting religious sentiments after a complaint was lodged against them by a group of Bajrang Dal workers on Sunday night. The First Information Report (FIR) has been filed at the Khajrana police station.
Some Bajrang Dal workers also allegedly blackened the faces of the three artisans, after which they brought them to the police station. A video from the police station has also appeared on the Internet, showing the artisans with blackened faces while trying to explain something to some men wearing saffron scarfs.
Indore Zone 2 Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police Amarendra Singh told The Hindu that the artisans resided in the Bengali colony in the Khajrana area, and had a workshop where they made idols.
“They made some idols of Ganesh-ji that were offensive to some people. We have registered a case against them and taken up the investigation. Even last year, they had made some controversial idols,” Mr. Singh said, adding that the artisans were natives of West Bengal but their families had settled in Indore a few generations ago.
In 2024, the artisans were accused of making idols of Goddess Durga in black attire that appeared like burqas, according to local reports.
This story was originally published in thehindu.com. Read the full story here.
