Around 80 people, including women, children and few police personnel were injured after violent clashes erupted on Thursday between two groups in Karond area. The clashes were results of beating of a woman and few children by one group after which people of other group set houses and vehicles on fire in the locality.
The injured persons were reportedly serious and undergoing treatment at a private hospital of the city. Police after failing to contain violence resorted to cane-charging and used teargas shells.
The locals held police administration responsible for the incident. Sources said the tension between the two groups had commenced on Wednesday night and heavy police force including teams of Rapid Action Force (RAF) was deployed. No untoward incident was reported in the night, but the violence erupted again in the morning after the force, particularly RAF was removed. Condition of three victims is reportedly critical. The victims were rushed to Hanumanganj, Chirayu and People’s hospitals. Heavy police force was deployed after the violent clashes. The clash between the two groups was pacified after it erupted on Wednesday night, but to avenge the damage and settle scores, fresh violence was reported on Thursday morning in which around dozen houses were set ablaze.
Fire tender vehicles which were pressed into service to pacify the fire were also stopped by the rioters by pelting stones. No casualty has been reported in the incident, but property of lakhs of rupees was gutted in the fire. In the wake of violence police and administration started shifting women and children to safe places. Members of one group have been terrified to the extreme and do not want stay in their homes fearing they might be attacked again by other group.
The police have on Thursday registered a case of rioting and arsoning against 300 unidentified people on a complaint by people of Irani community. On Wednesday, a similar case was registered against both the groups.