Four states saw clashes on Sunday amid the Ram Navmi celebrations. With violence being reported in Madhya Pradesh's Khargone, Bengal's Howrah city and Jharkhand's Lohardaga, Gujarat witnessed one death amid communal clashes.
Restrictions have been imposed to maintain law and order situation, officials said.
Madhya Pradesh:
Parts of Madhya Pradesh's Khargone were placed under curfew after violence and arson during a Ram Navami procession, a senior official said.
Stones were hurled at a Ram Navami procession, triggering incidents of arson wherein some vehicles were set on fire, prompting authorities to clamp curfew in three areas and section 144 of CrPC in the entire city.
Police had to use tear gas shells to control the situation.
During the violence, Khargone Superintendent of Police, Siddharth Choudhary was shot and injured as he tried to quell rioting.
The communal violence which took place during the Ram Navami celebrations in Madhya Pradesh's Khargone district has prompted the local administration to postpone school and college exams scheduled for Monday.
The administration, however, also made it clear that the exams centres will be closed only in the Khargone city area where communal clashes occurred on Sunday while exams in other areas of the district will take place as per the schedule.
Gujarat:
One person was killed in Gujarat after stones were allegedly thrown at religious processions. Violence was reported from two parts- Himmatnagar, about 70 km from Gandhinagar, and Khambhat, about 125 km from the state capital.
Police have arrested nine people for their alleged involvement in violence and stone-pelting during a procession on Ram Navami at Khambat in Gujarat's Anand district, while CrPC Section 144 has been imposed in Himmatnagar town of Sabarkantha following a similar incident there, officials said on Monday.
West Bengal:
In Bengal's Howrah, policemen have been positioned in large numbers after reports of clashes during a Ram Navami procession in the Shibpur area. Police have said they are taking steps to maintain peace.
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA and Leader of Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly Suvendu Adhikari on Sunday alleged that a Ram Navami procession was attacked by policemen in the Howrah district.
Taking to Twitter, Adhikari said that some people got injured in the incident.
"In the Shivpur area of Howrah district, Ram devotees took out a procession and the constable and police officer thrashed them with sticks. Some people got seriously injured," Adhikari tweeted.
Meanwhile, Union Minister Dr Subhash Sarkar said that stones were pelted on a Ram Navami procession and also at his car in Bankura.
Jharkhand:
Tension prevailed in Jharkhand's Lohardaga district after incidents of stone pelting and arson during Ram Navami fair on Sunday in Hirahi-Hendlaso village.
One severely injured man succumbed to injuries after clashes broke out between two groups on Sunday.
As per the information, some people started pelting stone on crowd during Ram Navami procession in the area. This led to a stampede and more than half a dozen people were injured.
Later people from both sides started pelting stones. As tension escalated, more than a dozen motorcycles and a pickup van were set on fire at the fair. Two houses have also been set ablaze near Bhogta Garden.
Several senior officers including DC and SP of Lohardaga reached the spot. Heavy police force has been deployed in the entire area.
