Hyderabad: A trivial issue took a violent turn when members belonging to two different communities clashed in Bhainsa town of Nirmal district leaving 19 people, including eight police officials injured, authorities said on Monday.
Sixteen people were arrested in connection with the communal clashes, police and district authorities said. Clashes broke out in the town over a petty matter of some people riding motorcycles by removing silencers late on Sunday night with members of two communities indulging in arguments, followed by assault, stone-pelting and arson which continued beyond midnight, the sources said.
The situation was brought under control by around 3:00 AM on Monday, according to them. The district administration has begun confidence-building measures to restore peace among the public and revenue officials have started door-to-door enumeration of the damage.
Even though prohibitory orders under section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code banning assembly of more than five people, was imposed in the town, some members of both sides again clashed by indulging in stone-pelting on Monday following which police resorted to lathi-charge to disperse them, they said.
The situation at present was under control and since Sunday midnight19 people, including eight police officials, were injured in the violence and stone-pelting incidents, the sources said.
Nirmal District Superintendent of Police C Shashidhar Raju was among the injured police officials when stones were hurled while dispersing the clashing groups, authorities said.
Ten among the injured were treated as out-patients, police said.
Six cases were registered and police during investigation examined CCTV footage and arrested 16 people from both the communities and efforts were on to nab some more, a senior police official told PTI.
Prohibitory orders shall remain in force till January 15, they said. On Monday, all shops and business establishments in the town were closed and street vendors also stayed off roads, they said, adding internet services were slowed down to curb rumour-mongering through messaging platforms and social media.
"Stone-pelting incidents extended to other parts of Bhainsa town on Monday with two groups again hurling stones at each other but now the situation has been brought under control," a senior district official said.
Heavy police force was deployed in the town and patrolling was being done. Senior police officials along with district officials visited the place and were monitoring the situation.
The clash broke out as some people were questioned by members of another community while they were making noise by removing silencers from their bikes, police earlier said.
The fight turned violent with members of the two communities setting over 20 vehicles including two-wheelers and one car besides a three-wheeler on fire, besides indulging in damaging houses by torching them after pelting stones, police said.
Some of the rioters allegedly cut water pipes of the fire engines that were engaged in extinguishing the flames, district officials said adding some residents have also claimed that their houses were also looted by the mob.
Additional police personnel were mobilised from adjoining districts and deployed, the official said. According to him, 14 houses were damaged due to fire and 24 two-wheelers fully burnt and a three-wheeler and one carpartially burnt.
Nirmal Collector M Prashanti along with Shashidhar Raju inspected the affected areas and assured the inhabitants that action will be immediately taken against culprits after proper inquiry.
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