Durg Municipal Corp staffer thrashed by Hindu outfits over 'derogatory' remarks

Tension erupted at the Durg Municipal Corporation office on Thursday after activists of Hindu organizations allegedly assaulted a placement employee for making objectionable comments about deities.

The office of the Durg Municipal Corporation (DMC) turned into a zone of conflict on Thursday morning when members of the Bajrang Dal and other Hindu outfits stormed the premises, dragging out a staff member over alleged derogatory remarks made against Hindu deities and religious leaders.

The employee, identified as Gautam Sahu, serves as a placement staff and is currently posted as the Personal Assistant (PA) to the Municipal Commissioner. The situation escalated rapidly as the protesters intercepted Sahu within the office complex, leading to a physical altercation where his clothes were torn before police intervention.

Chat leak triggers outrage

The controversy reportedly stems from a private WhatsApp conversation between Sahu and a female colleague. According to sources, screenshots of the chat—containing highly offensive language directed at religious figures—began circulating among local groups early on May 8.

Once the content reached members of the Bajrang Dal, a large group coordinated a protest at the corporation's headquarters. "We received information about the vile language being used by a government staffer against our faith. Such elements cannot be tolerated in public offices," said Saurabh Dewangan, a district coordinator for the Bajrang Dal.

Violence on office premises

Around 1:00 PM, dozens of activists entered the DMC building. Witnesses stated that the group located Sahu in his department and forcibly escorted him outside. The situation turned violent as the crowd began manhandling him.

The commotion brought work at the municipal office to a standstill for nearly an hour. Other staff members, caught off guard by the sudden influx of protesters, alerted the local authorities as the mob continued to assault Sahu.

Police intervention and rescue

A team from the Padmanabhpur police station arrived at the scene shortly after the violence broke out. Officers managed to push back the agitated crowd and rescued a visibly injured Sahu, who was then taken into police custody for his own safety.

"We received a complaint regarding a physical scuffle at the Municipal Corporation. The individual involved was brought to the station to prevent further escalation of the law and order situation," a senior police official stated.

FIR filed at Padmanabhpur

Formal legal action followed the incident. Mangal Singh Rajput, a resident of Polsay Para, submitted a written complaint at the Padmanabhpur police station detailing the alleged religious insults. Based on the complaint and the viral evidence, the police have initiated an investigation into the matter.

The Bajrang Dal has demanded immediate termination of Sahu’s services from the Municipal Corporation, claiming that his presence would hurt the religious sentiments of the public visiting the office.

Rising communal sensitivities

This incident in Durg follows a similar pattern of communal friction in the region. Only recently, a similar case was reported in Raipur where a lawyer was booked for making offensive remarks on social media, leading to protests by local outfits.

As of Thursday evening, the atmosphere at the Durg Municipal Corporation remains tense. Additional police personnel have been deployed near the office to prevent any retaliatory actions or further demonstrations. The Municipal Commissioner’s office has not yet issued a formal statement regarding Sahu's employment status following the arrest.