Shia groups clash in Lucknow

The incident took place around 1.30 pm after the Friday namaz,when two groups,one Rizvi’s supporters and the other Jawad’s supporters,got involved into a scuffle following an argument. Soon,Rizvi’s supporters,who were outnumbered by Jawad’s supporters,ran away,abandoning the vehicle.

Later,the other group overturned and damaged the SUV and blocked the road outside Imambara.

An FIR has been registered against five persons – Izhar Alam,Arif,Twinkle,Abid Raza and Urfi – under various sections of the IPC including 323 (voluntarily causing hurt),147 (rioting),148 (rioting,armed with deadly weapon),and 506 (criminal intimidation) at Chowk police station on the complaint of Shameel Shamsi,a supporter of Jawad and a resident of Chowk area.

Shamsi alleged that the accused persons had come to Imambara armed with hockey sticks to assault Jawad and started to threaten his supporters and later created a ruckus by getting involved into a scuffle.

Chowk Senior Sub-Inspector Shashikant Yadav said the police had not received any complaint from Rizvi’s supporters and the owner of the SUV. He said both groups offered namaz together but later got involved in the scuffle.

Jawad and Rizvi have been at loggerheads ever since Rizvi,after becoming the chairman of the UP Shia Central Wakf Board,removed several Jawad supporters,posted as mutawallis of wakf properties,accusing them of financial bungling. Jawad,too,has alleged that there are serious anomalies in the dealings of the UP Shia Central Wakf Board under Rizvi.