2 girls die in communal flare-up in

In an outbreak of communal violence, two girls were charred to death and over 100 houses were set ablaze following the gunning down of a youth...

In an outbreak of communal violence, two girls were charred to death and over 100 houses were set ablaze following the gunning down of a youth, an accused in a murder case, in a village here today.

The murder of Ashutosh Pathak, who was out on bail, by some unidentified persons in Gonda village triggered the communal flare up, police said.

As the news of the youth’s killing poured in, hundreds of people, carrying weapons, attacked establishments of a particular community in Gonda, Baldu and Subedar villages, they said.

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Tension ran high in the three villages bordering Pratapgarh and Rae Bareli districts.

SP (Pratapgarh) Prem Prakash said adequate PAC and police personnel were deployed in trouble-torn villages to control the situation.

Police detained over 100 people in connection with the violence, he said. Pathak, who was shot dead, was an accused in a murder case and was out on bail, police said adding he was among top 10 ‘‘criminals’’ of the area.

Of late, there was hostility between Pathak’s family and members of another family over the post of village pradhan, police said.

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