Violent Clashes at Udaipur City Palace Over Feud Between New Mewar Family Head, Uncle

Udaipur: Dramatic scenes unfolded at Udaipur City Palace after Vishvaraj Singh, who was crowned as the 77th Maharana of Mewar, and his supporters engaged in a clash with palace representatives after they were locked out of the City Palace's grounds and their family temple on Monday.

The incident occurred hours after Vishvaraj Singh, BJP MLA from Nathdwara, was anointed the titular head of the erstwhile royal family of Mewar in Chittorgarh fort following the demise of his father Mahendra Singh Mewar earlier this month. 

The dispute erupted due to a cloud of a feud between late Mahendra Singh Mewar and his estranged younger brother Arvind Singh Mewar -- who are descendants of Rajput king Maharana Pratap. The violent clash that erupted between two factions of the former royal family of Udaipur led to stone pelting outside the City Palace. 

It is learnt that Vishvaraj Singh's uncle Arvind Singh had issued a public notice against the newly annointed royal family head's planned visit to the Eklingnath temple of the family deity and the City Palace in Udaipur as part of rituals of the royal ceremony.

Notably, both the temple and the palace are under the control of Arvind Singh who is the chairman and managing trustee of Shree Eklingji Trust in Udaipur.

Given the intensity of the situation, a police force was deployed outside the gates of the City Palace to maintain law and order after notices opposing new royal head's entry were issued in the morning. His notices published in local newspapers warned of legal action for trespass or damage to the property.

Post the crowning ceremony, Vishvaraj Singh and his supporters reached Udaipur in the evening to visit the City Palace and the Eklingnathji temple but they were denied entry due to heavy police deployment.

Vishvaraj Singh's supporters tried to cross the barricading but they were stopped by police stopped them.

Senior police officials, Udaipur collector Arvind Poswal and SP Yogesh Goyal spoke to Vishvaraj Singh and his supporters and tried to resolve the issue. They also spoke to Arvind Singh's son but the talks remained inconclusive.

Meanwhile, police have sent a report to the additional district magistrate to appoint a receiver for the area in the City Palace from Bali Pol to Dhuni. 

Vishvaraj Singh had planned to visit Dhuni for a darshan after his anointment. After being denied entry, the Nathdwara MLA went to Jagdish Chowk with his supporters, barely a few metres away from the City Palace.

(With PTI inputs)