Frayed Bhiwandi turns scuffle into ‘communal clash’

According to DCP Phadtare, the incident took place between 7.30 and 8 pm. ‘‘Thirty-year-old Gafur Sheikh, a rickshaw driver, and Parshuram Gharat, both residents of Khadipur, had a past history of enmity.

Last night, the scuffle between the two snowballed into a riot as others joined in,’’ Phadtare said.

Police continue to make preventive arrests and are now trying to trace miscreants responsible for arson and destruction of property. ‘‘We estimate the property loss to be about Rs 3-4 lakh,’’ Phadtare said.

JCP Verma added that the incidents of arson in which a hotel, a grocery shop, warehouse of scrap plastic and a loom were torched had taken place in an area away from the scene of the initial clash.

‘‘Certain elements have settled personal scores in the guise of a communal clash,’’ Verma said. Concurring with Verma, village gram panchayat deputy chairperson Yeshwant Raut said the clash was between two warring groups and was not a communal clash.

‘‘This is the first time such a incident has taken place in our area and we are ashamed about it,’’ Raut said.

Panchayat member Sharif Sheikh said the two communities have no problem with each other here. Jawahar Mandal, a resident of Ekta chowk, said Bhiwandi cannot afford to have communal riots.

‘‘People from both the communities are in the powerloom business and are dependent on each other. Clash between them would harm everybody’s economic interest,’’ he said.