Riots mar Gorakhpur Holi

According to sources, trouble started when some miscreants from a Holi procession led by local BJP MP Mahant Adithyanath reached Zafra locality and entered into an argument with a group from the minority community.

A scuffle soon ensued between the two groups resulting in the demolition of a portion of the wall of a nearby Karbala. As word spread, members of both communities came out on to the streets and indulged in heavy brick-batting. Several people were injured in the scuffle as the two groups opened fire at each other, resulting in the death of the Imam of Ghazi Rauza mosque.

The news of the Imam8217;s death further led to more violence spreading across localities like Bin Tola, Bharpurwa, Nizampur and Guriana. In retaliation, angry members of the minority community pulled out a PCO owner, Vinay Srivastava, and stabbed him to death.

Muslim leaders claimed that the incident was a fallout of the communal speeches made by BJP MP Mahant Adityanath a few days back. Mahant Adityanath said the incident was part of a conspiracy to eliminate him.