Accident triggers riot in Valsad town; 44 arrested

SURAT: Police burst 17 teargas shells to disperse clashing groups belonging to two different communities soon after a minor road accident in Umargam town of Valsad district on Friday night. Police booked 47 people for rioting and later arrested 44 of them.
At least 50 people from two different communities gathered near Ramji Temple on Bhilad Road in Umargam after an accident and began pelting stones at each other.A police party reached the spot but the groups continued to pelt stones at each other.
Police investigation revealed that a man from a car opened its door without seeing that a person riding a motorcycle was coming from behind in the afternoon. The car's door hit the motorcycle, but its rider did not suffer any major injury. The motorcycle rider and the person in the car, who were from different communities, had a heated argument and also hurled abuses at each other. They were separated by local people. However, people from the two communities nursed a grouse against each other and gathered at night on Bhilad Road to avenge the insult.
"We have booked 47 people and will arrest everyone who was involved in rioting. Tight police bandobast has been arranged at the spot and other parts of the town. We burst 17 teargas shells and prevented the situation from getting out of control," said J B Mali, police inspector, Umargam police station.