5 cops injured in an attack by drunken youths

Five police personnel, including a Station House Officer (SHO), were injured after they were attacked by a group of allegedly drunken youths at a village in Chhattisgarh's Rajnandgaon district, police said today.
The incident took place late last night at Murmunda village under Dongargarh police station limits when the police team had gone there following a report of brawl by some drunken youths, a district police official said.
As per the information, a 'Madai Mela' (village fair) was organised at Murmunda weekly market last evening where cultural programmes were held till late night.
Some drunken youth allegedly tried to molest girl artistes who were performing on the stage, he said.

Though some villagers asked the youths to stop misbehaving with the artistes they continued doing so which led to a brawl following which sarpanch of the village informed police about it, the official said.
A police team reached the spot at midnight and tried to control the youths. Somebody from the crowd threw a stone at the police in which a constable got injured.

Subsequently, additional security personnel led by SHO Dongargarh police station Amit Beriya rushed to the place and tried to pacified the crowd but the situation turned worse when the drunken youths attacked them with stones and set five police vehicles, including a SUV and four motorcycles, on fire, he said.

Police personnel ran towards field in a bid to rescue themselves from the angry crowd, he added.
"SHO Beriya and four other personnel sustained injuries in the incident," the official said.
Later reinforcement was dispatched to the spot and the injured were admitted to a local hospital where their condition is said to be out of danger, said the official.
The situation was later brought under control in the early hours of today, he added.
Some of the culprits who were involved in the incident have been identified and soon they will be arrested, he said.