Several persons, including six officials, were injured as a quarrel between members of two communities escalated into violence and arson in Azamgarh over the weekend.
Communally sensitive Azamgarh is Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh’s Lok Sabha constituency.
Sources said 15-20 persons were injured and seven homes, most belonging to the minority community, were damaged in the arson. District Magistrate Suhas L.Y. told The Hindu on Monday that no casualties were reported and the situation was “absolutely under control.”
The police booked over 20 persons and named 200 unidentified persons in eight FIRs. Seven persons have been arrested so far.
Violence broke out on Saturday night in Khudadpur after a dispute between members of two communities. Members of one community attacked the house of a person belonging to the other, leading to arson and stone-throwing, despite police presence. As the violence spread to adjoining villages, police had to resort to a baton charge and firing on Sunday.
SDM Anil Kumar was injured in the stone-throwing, while circle officer K. Saroj was shot in the shoulder, the police said.
According to local reports, members of a community surrounded the homes of those of the other community and attacked them at night.
RAF deployedWith the deployment of paramilitary forces, including the Rapid Action Force, the situation was brought under control. But the locals alleged that a mob tried to reassemble in the area. Civil rights groups said the minority community was targeted and blamed the administration for inaction.
Masiuddin Sanjari, a local activist, said despite prohibitory orders, violence spread to other areas on Sunday as a mob of around 2,000 was allowed to assemble. “The administration tacitly helped the violence-mongers by doing nothing,” he said.
IG (Varanasi) S.K. Bhagat said efforts were underway to restore peace.
“The guilty will be identified and strict action taken against them. FIRs are being filed and the delay in registering them was due to the displacement of the victims after the attack on their homes. Enough forces have been deployed and we have ordered strict action against those who indulge in rumour-mongering,” he said.
The BJP sent a team led by the former DGP, Brijlal, and the former IG, Rajesh Rai. But they were detained in Barabanki district.
“There is an undeclared emergency in the State. The SP is indulging in vote-bank politics by giving a free hand to communal elements,” BJP spokesperson Vijay Bahadur Pathak said. The lives of Dalits were at risk in Azamgarh, he said.
Appeal to CMRihai Manch, a civil rights group, wrote to Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, urging him to crack down on communal elements.
“The way the communal elements entered the villages and tried to fuel communal fire reflects a larger conspiracy. The villages of the minority community were surrounded in a planned manner and there is an atmosphere of fear among them,” Rajeev Yadav, the outfit’s spokesperson said.
