VIRUDHUNAGAR: Police opened four rounds of fire to control a clash between two communities in Tiruchuli on Friday night after people belonging to one community pelted stones at the others' vehicles.
Sengulam and Paralachi are two villages not more than half a kilometre away. The shortest path from Sengulam to Madurai is through Paralachi, a dalit hamlet.
According to sources, people from a community in Sengulam had passed Paralachi while they were going to Madurai to garland the statue of king Kattabomman.
They had been allegedly shouting slogans from their vehicles when the villagers of Paralachi warned them not to pass through their village shouting slogans as this has become a regular issue making it a long-standing dispute between both the villages.
Not heeding their words, the Sengulam villagers went ahead and during their return, stones were pelted at their vehicles.
News of the incident reached others in Sengulam who arrived at the spot immediately. They gathered at Paralachi questioning the attack when the verbal feud turned physical.
On receiving information, police arrived at the spot immediately and tried pacifying both the groups, which failed following which they conducted a lathi charge.
When the clash threatened to go beyond their control, the police opened four rounds of fire in the air and detained several people from both sides on Friday night.
Madurai range Deputy Inspector General of Police Annie Vijaya, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) of Tiruchuli and Aruppukottai as well as Superintendent of Police (SP) Perumal visited the spot and conducted an enquiry.
Speaking to TNIE, Perumal said, "We tried to bring the situation under control with a lathi charge, but when it failed we were forced to open fire. No one was injured in the incident. 15 people from both villages have been arrested and booked under various sections for instigating the riot and assaulting the police and further investigation is underway."
Around 360 police personnel have been deployed in 13 places around Sengulam and Paralachi and the situation is now under control, the SP added.