Bhopal, Nov 14 (IANS): The BJP and Congress on Thursday demanded action after a statue of B. R. Ambedkar was vandalised in the Vijaypur Assembly segment of Sheopur district in Madhya Pradesh, shortly after the voting for bypolls concluded.

The incident sparked outrage in Dalit Dalit-populated village of Gohta, prompting police to deploy forces to bring the situation under control. The vandalisation resulted following a dispute between two groups, police said on Thursday.

"Information was received about a dispute between two parties in village Gohta under police station Vijaypur area. A police team reached the spot immediately and brought the situation under control," Sheopur SP Virendra Jain said on Thursday.

Jain informed that police personnel were still deployed in the village to avoid any further untoward incidents and to maintain peace in Gohta village.

However, he denied any vandalism in the houses of Dalit families, saying, "No complaint has been made to the police in this regard. No person has suffered any kind of injury in the incident nor has any information been received about any casualty. The police force is available on the spot," Jain added.

However, the opposition Congress maintained that houses of Dalits were ransacked by a group of miscreants and announced to stage a protest on November 18.

The state BJP unit has also demanded action against those who vandalised Ambedkar's statue.

"There is no place for hooliganism in the BJP government and those who vandalised Ambedkar's statue will be punished as per the law," the BJP maintained.