Khandwa (Madhya Pradesh)

A crowd gathered at the Moghat police station in Madhya Pradesh's Khandwa district after a social media post allegedly hurt religious sentiments, creating a tense situation which was later brought under control by the police, an official said.

According to the police, the matter escalated into a law and order situation, prompting police deployment from nearby police stations and a flag march in the area to normalise the situation.

Complainant Mujahiddin Qureshi filed the FIR after the post came to light and acting on the complaint, police registered a case under section 199 of Bharatiya Nyay Sahita (BNS) and immediately rounded up the accused.

Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) Mahendra Taranekar said, "A post shared on social media was hurting religious sentiments, due to which some people gathered here to register an FIR. Complainant Mujahiddin Qureshi filed the FIR. A case was registered under section 199 of BNS and the accused was rounded up immediately without any delay."

The officer said that after the FIR was registered, some individuals continued to gather at the police station premises and raised various demands, which created a tense situation.

"Following this, some people mischievously gathered on the premises of the police station and put up absurd demands. The crowd including elders and sensible persons were making various demands citing religious sentiments hurt, leading to a law and order issue. Thereafter, three station in-charges and the City Superintendent of Police were deployed to control the situation," the officer said.

ASP Taranekar also urged the public not to react to such posts on social media and instead inform the local police.

READ MORE: J&K's only woman CM Mehbooba Mufti injected compassion into politics

"Later on, the police conducted a flag march to normalise the situation in the area and everything is under control. The public is urged to refrain from reacting to such posts on social media and to inform the station in charge instead," he said.

The situation in the area is now peaceful and under control, he added.