Meerut (Uttar Pradesh), April 25 (IANS) A communal clash over a cleric in a mosque being roughed up led to at least 30 people, including 10 policemen, being injured, police here said Monday. Seventeen people have been detained.
Violence erupted late Sunday in Qazipur village after a group of youngsters allegedly manhandled the imam of a local mosque. In protest, some members of the Muslim community took to the streets, torched several commercial establishments and roadways buses.
As the news spread, tension gripped other areas with members of both communities indulging in vandalism, arson and pelting stones at each other. When prevented, members of the warring groups also attacked policemen in Zakir Colony and set a police outpost on fire.
Police had to use teargas to disperse the protesters.
"We have detained 17 people for their involvement in communal clash," Superintendent of Police Prabal Pratap Singh said in Meerut, some 500 km from Lucknow.
"Investigations are being carried out to ascertain whether the clash was pre-planned by some anti-social elements," he added.
Inspector General of Police Rajnikant Mishra told IANS: "As of now, the situation is completely under control. Senior police officials and district administration officials are camping at places that witnessed the clashes."
According to officials, police forces have been deployed at various places to prevent any further flare-up.