3 killed, 20 injured in Lucknow clashes

Tension gripped Lucknow today after clashes between Shias and Sunnis over the route of the city’s main Moharram procession left three p...

Tension gripped Lucknow today after clashes between Shias and Sunnis over the route of the city’s main Moharram procession left three persons dead and 20 others with serious injuries. Among the injured was a policeman who had been shot.

Curfew was imposed in the area under the Thakurganj police station after stone pelting and exchange of fire near the Chhota Imambara caught the city police napping.

Appealing for peace, Maulana Saif Abbas, close aide of leading Shia cleric Kalbe Jawwad, told The Indian Express that the riot appeared to be ‘‘pre-planned by people trying to create a divide between the two Muslim sects.’’

Abbas also accused the administration and police of not acting in time to prevent the violence. ‘‘I had called the circle officer of the Chowk area at 10 am. I told him things were hotting up but the police did not react for at least another hour,’’ claimed Abbas.

Eyewitnesses said trouble began shortly after 10 am when the Shias were taking out a tazia procession from the Muftiganj area of Lucknow. As soon as the procession reached Hussainabad crossing in the Chowk area, Sunnis who had assembled there objected to the tazia route. As the exchanges began, a small police force watched helplessly. In fact, policemen ran for cover when the situation spun out of control. At first, there was only stone-pelting. But soon mobs started targeting shops, looting and then burning them. Vehicles too were set ablaze. As police sent in reinforcements to scatter the mob, they too came under attack.

To bring the situation under control, DM Aradhana Shukla and SSP Navniet Sekera landed there with additional force. The rioters had shot and left a PAC jawan, Rajesh Babu, bleeding at the spot. Three others lay nearby. Doctors later said the three succumbed to injuries.

UP DGP Yashpal Singh said stern action would be taken and all rioters booked under the National Security Act. Huge police contingents have been deployed across the city. SSP Sekera said his men did not let the riot spread to other parts of the city. ‘‘We tried our best to reach the spot at the earliest and take control. This was the main Moharram procession of the city. Such a riot wasn’t expected here. We have appealed to leaders of both sects to calm people.’’ In 1977 too, a similar incident had occurred. The administration thereafter banned all Moharram processions. The ban was lifted 21 years later in 1998. After today’s incident, officials have begun wondering whether it was a wise move to lift the ban. Meanwhile, the Uttar Pradesh government has announced cash compensations for the families of those killed in the clashes.