Kheda (Gujarat): Communal tensions simmered in Kheda district of Gujarat after stones were thrown at a Hindu religious procession while it was passing through a Muslim-dominated area in Thasra town on Friday afternoon. Officials said several people, including three police personnel, were injured in the stone throwing incident, leading to tensions between the two communities in the area.
A senior official said the ‘Shiv Ki Sawari shobha yatra’ is taken out every year from the Lord Shiva temple on the last day of the month of ‘Shravan’ and this time there were 700-800 participants in the procession.
Videos of the incident doing the rounds on social media showed the procession coming under a barrage of stones being hurled by miscreants from the terrace of an adjacent mosque.
– Today there are reports of heavy stone pelting on Shravani Yatra like Nuh violence in Thasara, Gujarat. pic.twitter.com/F5DJyNbrID
— Hindu (@BoloGobinda) September 15, 2023
However, a swift response from the local police prevented the incident from escalating further.
“When the yatra reached Teen-batti area, some anti-social elements threw stones and bricks at the procession. Police present there immediately brought the situation under control. Reinforcements from across the district have been called in and deployed in the town to stop any untoward incident,” Kheda Superintendent of Police Rajesh Gadhia told reporters, according to news agency PTI.
“One sub inspector, two constables and some other persons have been injured in the stone-pelting. We are yet to ascertain if the stone-pelting was preplanned or whether it was spontaneous,” the SP informed.
Gadhia said leaders from both communities have been contacted as part of efforts to ensure peace prevails in the area, adding that videos of the incident are being checked to identify and arrest those involved in pelting stones.
The officer appealed to people to maintain peace and not spread rumours.
Meanwhile, according to local media reports, a heavy contingent of state police has been deployed in Thasra town and adjacent areas to prevent any escalation and communal turmoil.
(With PTI inputs)
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