Thaindian News

Jaipur, Sep 1 (IANS) Tension prevailed in Rajasthan’s Bharatpur town after unidentified miscreants fired at former MP and erstwhile royal Vishwendra Singh and his supporters at a hotel, police said. No one sustained bullet injuries.

The shooting took place around 9.35 a.m. at Hotel Laxmi Vilas, owned by Vishwendra’s uncle Raghuraj Singh.

“Recently there had been a controversy over a book written by Raghuraj Singh. Vishwendra Singh’s supporters, alleging that the book had some derogatory remarks, gathered at the hotel for demonstration,” a senior police officer told IANS.

Vishwendra, belonging to Bharatpur’s erstwhile ruling family, and his wife Divya were present at the hotel when around 150 supporters gathered outside and tried to barge in.

“At that time, someone fired from the hotel’s building. Prima facie, it seems that the bullets were fired in the air to disperse the crowd. However, it is a matter of investigation,” said the officer.

While no one sustained bullet wounds, six people, including two women, sustained minor injuries in the melee.

Eyewitnesses told the police that the supporters damaged the reception area of the hotel and set ablaze some furniture.

Sarita Chaudhary, Vishwendra’s supporter and president of a women’s college in Bharatpur, said: “Some people fired at our direction when Vishwendra was standing with us.”

Vishwendra Singh’s supporters have threatened to launch an agitation Friday if those involved in the firing are not arrested.