Police on Monday arrested 19 persons, including 12 Caste Hindus, following a clash between Vanniyars and Dalits in Kodalur panchayat near Sholinghur.
After a group belonging to the Vanniyar community of the village, damaged a banner installed by residents of Adi Dravidar Colony to mark the birth anniversary of Dr Ambedkar, the issue snowballed into a major community clash in the village. Several villagers and residents of the colony sustained injuries, police said.
Tensioned gripped the village after the community clash spread to Kodalur. A large number of Vanniyars gathered and ransacked the colony in their village around 8 pm on Sunday. They set fire to two thatched shops and pelted stones at the people. The residents of the colony retaliated and the village turned into a war zone, police said.
In the meantime, police personnel from Arakkonam rushed to the spot. However, they were outnumbered. After receiving reinforcement they dispersed the mob.
Police registered cases against 12 Vanniyars and seven Dalits for fighting and creating law and order problems.