An incident involving residents of the Maharishi Vedic City and Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office occurred early yesterday morning. According to the sheriff’s department, security personnel escorting a pandit leader off city property requested their assistance at around 6.

Prior to the pandit entering a van to leave the property, approximately 70 other pandits gathered in the area. They allegedly became agitated and threw rocks at security and deputies. Once the van left, the group knocked down a fence and blocked off 170th Street. Following attempts by sheriff’s personnel to divert them back to their complex, the group surrounded a marked patrol car, threw rocks at the driver, broke the back window, kicked out a back light, attempted to break off the mirrors and were rocking the vehicle. The incident was resolved by 10am.  No injuries or arrests were reported.

Agencies assisting at the scene were Jefferson County Sheriff’s Reserve, Fairfield Police Department, Iowa State Patrol, Iowa DOT Vehicle Enforcement, Iowa DNR law enforcement, Wapello County Sheriff’s Office and the Fairfield Fire Department.

KCII will bring you more information when it becomes official.

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