Faisal Fareed
Daijiworld Media Network - Lucknow
Lucknow, Feb 7: Sporadic incidents of violence in the old city led to tension between two sects of Muslims - Shias and Sunni in Lucknow on Monday.
More than a dozen were injured in stone pelting and one of them received pellet injuries. Three persons have been hospitalised. Police fired tear gas shells and resorted to mild lathi charge to control the situation.
The old city of Lucknow is always sitting on a volcano due to the history of Shia-Sunni discord. The two sects have a long history of riots. A truce was signed on April 25, 1999 between Shias and Sunnis and district administration for peaceful passage of their religious processions. Shias were given nine processions while Sunnis were allowed to take out one procession. The route chart and every other minute details of these procession was written and signed.
The violence erupted after the passage of procession by Sunnis on Sunday to mark the Prophet Mohammad's birthday. After that in the intervening night of Sunday/Monday, there were sporadic incidents of violence from different parts of the old city. Places and mohallas like Garhi Peer Khan, Satkhanda, Hussainabad, Rustam Nagar, Dargah Hazrat Abbas, Wazeer Bagh and half a dozen others witnessed stone pelting and slogan shouting between two groups. There are reports of firing from both the sides. Police resorted to firing tear gas shells and mild lathi charge to control the unruly mob. However, the peace achieved was shortlived as stone pelting continued with short breaks whole night on Sunday and continued till late evening on Monday.
Tension engulfed the whole old city with shops downing their shutters and people remaining indoors. A depleted police force due to election duty found it hard to manage the situation. Clerics from both the sides including Imam, Aishbagh Eidgah, Maulana Khalid Rasheed Farangi Mahli, Spokesperson, All India Shia Personal Law Board, Maulana Yasoob Abbas and several others issued appeal for maintaing peace. The clerics also blamed the district administration for not being able to control the situation. They also demanded a probe in all the incidents. "We suspect political conspiracy to destabilise the area as elections are round the corner, it should be probed and guilty should be punished" said Farangi Mahli.
Meanwhile, district administration has not announced curfew but an undeclared curfew has been imposed. People are still living with tension and apprehension of escalation of violence during the night.