Central Gujarat city of Vadodara on Thursday witnessed communal clashes during Ram Navami processions at two different old-city areas with mixed neighbourhoods even as the police lobbed teargas shells and resorted to lathicharge to quell the rioting mobs.
Two people sustained minor injuries while no deaths were reported anywhere but videos emerging from the spots showed assorted incidents of stone-pelting between groups of two communities as well as arson.
Police said at least three incidents of stone pelting were reported from sensitive areas of Fatehpura and Yakutpura. Arrests have also been made in the case.
However, Deputy Commissioner of Police (zone III) Yashpal Jaganiya told a section of the media that two groups were involved in verbal altercation after the procession crossed Panjrigar Mohalla. He claimed that there was no incident of stone pelting or lathi-charge in the area.
Stone-pelting in Vadodara as well
But eye-witnesses and photo journalists covering the incidents disclosed to Free Press Journal from the spot that incidents of stone-pelting and arson did occur at a couple of places.
Witnesses said at the Panjrigar Mohalla, members of the minority community got agitated after the Vishwa Hindu Parishad participants in the Ram Navami procession fired small saffron papers from party pops near a mazaar. In the second incident in Yakutpur, those in the procession chanted Jai Shree Ram when passing through a minorities-dominated locality.
Sources said that the first incident of stone pelting happened around 1 pm in the first incident. In the second procession that was taken out in late afternoon, stone pelting was reported at more than two places.
Police try to bring situation under control
Top police officers, including Police Commissioner Shamsher Singh, were out on the streets to get the situation under control.
Minister of State for Home Minister Harsh Sanghavi directed the police to arrest the trouble-makers before Thursday midnight. The situation is being monitored from the command centre located in Gandhinagar.
Police said they were continuously tracking social media to ensure no provocative posts are released and looking for any incendiary banners or posters.
Meanwhile, former minister Rajendra Trivedi, who also lives in the eastern part of the city where these areas are located, alleged speaking to some local channels that the incidents seemed to be pre-planned.
