Shivpuri, May 10 (IANS): In a shocking incident, a police party was attacked by villagers after they went to stop a religious gathering organised to ward off coronavirus in Shivpuri district of Madhya Pradesh. Several policemen received injuries in the attack.

The incident happened in Rajgarh village under Amola police station in Shivpuri district on Sunday evening. A special puja was performed by the villagers to stop the coronavirus from entering their village. The police went to enforce the lockdown measures when they were attacked by the villagers who thrashed the policemen with sticks in which six policemen received injuries.

Station in-charge Raghavendra Singh Yadav said that he got a call from Rajgarh village that a large number of people were organising a bhandara (religious gathering) at the Mata temple in the village. There was every possibility of the spread of coronavirus infections. After the police reached the village, villagers took up cudgels and started a fight with the policemen.

Police asked the villagers to disperse, telling them about the Covid protocols. While some men dispersed, 8-10 people remained at the temple. When police asked them to go home, they threw stones at the police party and beat them with sticks.