A minor road accident sparked a communal clash in Gujarat’s Vadodara city, with rioters throwing stones, vandalising a shrine and damaging some vehicles, police said on Monday.
Following the incident late Sunday night, police have arrested 19 people for rioting.
According to a police official from Karelibaug’s police station, the clash erupted after a road accident involving two-wheelers belonging to people from two different communities in the city’s Raopura neighbourhood.
The matter escalated and in no time people from two communities gathered and hurled stones at each other in the Karelibaug locality, neighbouring the Raopura area. A mob vandalised the idol at a shrine located on the roadside, two autorickshaws and as many two-wheelers, the police official said.
“Police rushed to the area and brought the situation under control. We carried out a combing operation in the area and arrested 15 persons in this connection during the night,” said DCP (Zone 4), Panna Momaya.
Shamsher Singh, Commissioner of Police, Vadodara city, said three people had got injured and were admitted to the hospital. “Police is patrolling in the city,” he added.
An FIR was registered at Karelibaug police station under various sections of the Indian Penal Code for rioting, unlawful assembly, holding deadly weapons, defiling the place of worship with intent to insult the religion of any class against unidentified groups of people.
Security has been increased in the area, and the situation is now under control, according to officials.