Arson in Agra village after minors ‘elope’

The police maintained that two shops were set on fire, but local residents alleged that the boy’s house and several shops were attacked.

“We received information on call around 4 pm that a minor has eloped with another person of a different community. An FIR was registered after speaking to the family members of the victim. When the FIR was registered, some antisocial elements tried to disturb peace in the area and some shops were damaged. The situation is under control and we are making efforts to retrieve the minor,” said Ajay Anand, ADG Agra Zone.

According to the police, the girl disappeared between 1 pm and 4 pm. Her family approached the police station and registered a complaint. Soon after, a group of 30-35 people allegedly began rioting and set fire to shops of the other community, the police said.

Visuals of the incident that went viral showed a shop burning with the shutter half closed. Debris of burnt carts and goods were also seen.

An FIR was registered against unidentified persons for arson, rioting and damage to property. “We were informed as the incident was taking place, so we rushed with fire tenders. We stopped them, after which calm prevailed. We are deploying extra force to ensure harmony at night,” said a police official.