GANDHINAGAR: Three persons were injured after a minor road accident led to a communal clash in Vadodara in the early hours of Monday. Police said that rioters threw stones, vandalised a shrine and damaged vehicles. The police arrested 22 persons for rioting.
Vadodara H Division ACP Chirag Cordia told the media that the police are taking action. “A scuffle broke out between two groups after an accident in Raopura. A case has been registered at Raopura police station. Another case of rioting hasbeen registered at Karelibagh police station. A total of 19 accused have been detained in the case filed at Karelibagh. Search for a few more accused is on. Three persons have been detained in the case registered in Raopura.”
Sections of the Indian Penal Code for rioting, unlawful assembly, possessing deadly weapons, defiling places of worship with intent to insult the religion of any class have been invoked in the Karelibaug FIR against a group of named and unidentified accused. “Police patrols are on in all areas and State Reserve Police arrangements have been made.
Three people were injured. They are being treated. CCTV footage of both areas has been checked. The other accused will be arrested soon,” said Cordia. On Sunday night, a scuffle broke out near Raopura Tower after a collision of two motorcycles. It escalated into a brawl and there was tension in the air after a number of people gathered at the spot. There were allegations that a mob vandalised an idol of Sai Baba located at Kothi Pol and hurled stones at it. Senior police officials rushed to the spot after the incident was reported.
A brawl between the two communities took place after that. There were allegations that the mob stopped locals when they were doing video recordings of the incident. Vehicles passing by were not spared either as several auto rickshaws and two-wheelers were damaged. Three persons were injured and shifted to hospital.
