Clash over Sonia Gandhi's pic in Madhya Pradesh, one dead

BHOPAL/JABALPUR: One person was stabbed to death and five others were injured after two groups clashed in Jabalpur district of Madhya Pradesh following a dispute over a photo of Congress president Sonia Gandhi shared on WhatsApp. A caricature of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress president Sonia Gandhi was shared on a WhatsApp group, police said on Thursday.The incident happened on the premises of Jabalpur's Vijay Nagar police station on Wednesday night, and the deceased has been identified as Guddu Verma, 33. Five others sustained minor injuries in the incident.Police have registered two FIRs against the group members — for assault and murder.According to police, the dispute started with heated arguments on a WhatsApp group 'Vijay Nagar Fans Club' -- created by local Congress corporator Jatin Raj.CSP Indrajeet Bakalwar told TOI that the group had several members and most of them were Congress workers. "Conflict triggered over the caricature in which Sonia Gandhi has been shown washing dishes with a comment 'Modi ne kya haal bana diya' (see what Modi has done)" said the CSP. This image was allegedly shared by a local advocate Prashant Nayak.A fraction of Congress workers who were in this group objected to it and this led to a dispute. Group administrator and advocate Jatin Raj reached Vijay Nagar police station with the groups. More people joined them and started attacking with knives and other sharp edged weapons.Guddu Verma who was from Jatni Raj's group sustained multiple stab injuries. He was referred to a local hospital where he succumbed to his injuries at 3 am.Police had to deploy additional staff and use mild force to control the situation. Efforts are being made to arrest those involved in the clash.