A few incidents of communal clashes broke out between communities in several parts of the country on Wednesday and Thursday amid Ram Navami celebrations.
HOWRAH
Violence broke out between two groups when a Ram Navami procession was taken out in West Bengal's Howrah city, where several vehicles were torched and shops were ransacked on Thursday evening.
Police said a number of people were detained in this connection.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who is on a dharna, said strict action will be taken against the culprits. A police officer said the incident occurred when the procession was passing through the Kazipara locality.
Several shops and auto-rickshaws were ransacked during the violence while a number of cars including a few police vehicles were set on fire.
Four fire tenders were pressed into service to extinguish the blaze. The police used force to disperse the mob.
A large contingent of police was deployed in the locality where the situation is stated to be under control.
The chief minister slammed the BJP for allegedly trying to stoke communal tension during the Ram Navami procession in Howrah and said those involved in the incident will not be spared.
AURANGABAD
At least 12 persons, including 10 policemen, were injured after a mob of around 500 people went berserk and hurled stones and petrol-filled bottles when the cops tried to control the situation following a clash between two groups near a Ram temple in Maharashtra's Aurangabad city, officials said on Thursday.
The incident, in which 13 vehicles were torched by the miscreants, occurred during the intervening night of Wednesday and Thursday in the city's Kiradpura locality that houses the famous Ram temple, they said.
Ram Navami is being celebrated on Thursday.
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The police used tear gas and fired some plastic bullets as well as live rounds to control the mob, the officials said, adding that eight teams have been formed to identify and arrest the perpetrators.
The situation is now under control and security personnel have been deployed across Aurangabad, now named Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar.
"It started after two groups, each comprising around five persons, clashed near the Ram temple. After some time, one group left the place and the police soon came to the site. After an hour, a mob gathered there, bringing stones and petrol-filled bottles along, which they threw at the police personnel," Aurangabad Police Commissioner Nikhil Gupta told ABP Majha, a Marathi news channel.
The street lights in the area were also damaged by the miscreants, so there was darkness in the area, he said.
"We had to use extra force to disperse the mob. They burnt police vehicles near the Ram temple beside hurling stones and petrol-filled bottles at the police personnel. The police used tear gas extensively along with some plastic bullets and live rounds in this case," he said.
"We have formed eight teams to identify the miscreants and arrest them. We have also got additional force which is now deployed in the city to maintain peace. The administration will hold an all-party meeting over maintaining peace," the police commissioner said.
AHMEDABAD
Violence erupted between Hindus and Muslims in Vadodara during a Ram Navami procession in the city on Thursday.
When a procession led by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and the Bajrang Dal passed through Fatepura Road with police protection, a brawl erupted between the two groups near the Panjrigar Maholla area.
The police arrived and surrounded the area after the clash, say reports. While some vehicles were damaged, no one was injured, and the procession continued along its planned route under police protection, according to police. The brawlers allegedly damaged two-wheelers. The police are examining the footage from the CCTV camera installed at the scene for the stone pelters.
Vadodara Deputy Commissioner of Police Yashpal Jaganiya said, "Some people had gathered when the procession passed before the mosque. But they were persuaded to leave. The area is calm now that the procession has passed."
Ketan Trivedi, president of the Vadodara Bajrang Dal, told local media that the stone-pelting was part of a conspiracy. "This procession is planned nearly every year. Despite this, there was no police presence in the area. Stones were thrown as part of a pre-planned conspiracy," he stated.
(With inputs from Dilip Singh Kshatriya, Express News Service)