At least two persons killed and five seriously injured in Morbi district of Gujarat following a clash between two castes on Thursday night.
Members of powerful Rajput and Bharwad castes clashed over a petty issue which transformed into a serious criminal act. Even after a day of the incident, tension still prevailed at Shaktinagar village near Halvad town situated in Morbi district.
More than half a dozen platoons of the State Reserve Police were deployed in violent-hit areas, said sources in the Morbi district administration. According to official sources the clash between the two castes was sparked off when a large motorcade of Durbars were going to Dhrangadhra of Surendranagar district to attend a condolence meeting of Indrasinh Zhala, former president of the town’s municipality who was killed on 8 July. Zhala, who was behind the bar for the killing of Popat Bharwad in 2012, was out on parole when he was killed.
Zhala belongs to upper caste Kshtriya community while Bharwads are cattle gazers. In order to curb further violence SMS and cell phone internet services have been suspended.