Journalism of Courage
A petty dispute between two groups over flashing headlight of a bike took a violent and communal turn when larger groups from two communities gathered and clashed with each other in Parvati Darshan area Tuesday night.
Twelve persons sustained injuries, four among them serious, and 42 vehicles were damaged in the violence.
Police have arrested 13 persons from both the communities.
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It all started with a petty dispute between two groups around 10 pm Tuesday. After the clashes spread, police reached the area and had to resort to mild lathi-charge on the rioting mob and firing some bullets in the air to bring the situation under control.
A heavy police force was later deployed in the area. The deployment was in place till late Wednesday evening.
Joint Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) Sunil Ramamand said, “Two groups had a fight over flashing headlight of a bike while parking it. The dispute later took a violent turn. If we look at the demographic composition, people from two communities live in this area together. Large mobs from both sides kept gathering and pelting stones on each other.”
As the incident took the violent turn, police teams which had already reached the spot called in reinforcements. At the end of it, 12 people, including two policemen, were injured.
According to police, stones were also pelted at places of worship of both the communities. Offences of hurting religious sentiments has also been registered along with rioting, attacks and attempt to murder by both sides against each other.
Those arrested under these offences have been identified as Shukratej Suryavanshi (24), Navtej Suryavanshi (19), Javed Saleem Shaikh (21), Mohsin Shaikh (20), Subhan Qureshi (42), Afzal Ansari (20), Shahbaz Khan (21), Sameer Sayyad (20), Nadeem Nayab (25), all residents of Parvati Darshan. All were remanded to police custody.
Senior police officers said police teams were in constant touch with local leaders to ensure peace and normalcy was restored.
Attack on women reported too.
Police have received a complaint of assault on women during the riot.
Joint Commissioner of Police Sunil Ramanand said a special team of the police officers and staffers from Women’s Grievance Redressal Cell have been formed to look into the complaints and take further action accordingly.
