Gujarat: 3 injured in clash between two communities in Halvad, shops burnt

Bajrang Dal gave a call for bandh in Halvad town on Thursday to protest against the alleged attack on Thakkar. As the day broke, mobs started assembling in Main Bazar, near Brahman Bhojanshala and in Khalavad areas. “The mobs vandalised three shops and set fire to them. The mob also vandalised and set alight a scrap yard. We had to lob four shells of tear gas to disperse the violence,” the SP told The Indian Express.

The rioters also burnt tyres on Maliya-Viramgam highway and blocked vehicular traffic briefly. But they were chased away by police. “No untoward incident has been reported from anywhere in the town since 2 o’clock in the afternoon. Besides district police, we have deployed two companies of State Reserve Police in the town to ensure law and order and to prevent any untoward incident. We also carried out a flag march in the evening and the situation is under control,” Vaghela further said.

Following the clash in the night, police received two cross complaints and based on that, two offences were registered. “We have launched two FIRs in connection with the violence the previous night. We have arrested 22 persons in connection with the two cases,” the SP added.

Police officers said that Halvad town was witnessing such type of violence for the first time in its recent history. In July last year, two caste groups had clashed in Halvad, leaving three persons dead. However, police say that the troublemakers in that incident had come from another district.