FIR against 15, 5 arrested
Tension has gripped Sarfabad area region of Noida after a fracas between Hindus and Muslims over permanent construction for a religious place at a vacant land. Both communities, which had clashed twice earlier on the same issue, indulged in stone-pelting and vandalism on Monday night, which ended after police lathicharge. Fearing any untoward incident, the district administration has tightened the security by deploying Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) and local police in the area. Police have also registered a named FIR against 15 people and have arrested five of them.
According to police, the incident took place around 10.30 pm when people of one community had gathered at the construction site where they offer prayers. As they were dispersing after prayers, electricity in the area went off and people from the other community allegedly started pelting stones on them. Soon both communities started pelting stones, injuring six villagers.
locals allege they did not intervene initially but seeing the situation going out of control they called additional police force. Soon all the SHOs and senior police officers from Noida along with Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) were deployed in the area to defuse tension and restore normalcy. Taking no chances, police force from Hapur, Aligarh, Bulandshahr and Ghaziabad are also camping in the area.
DIG (Meerut Zone), District Magistrate along with SSP visited the area and asked people to maintain peace. Cops have registered an FIR at Sector 49 police station against 15 people under different Sections.