Narmada: At least a dozen persons including two police personnel were injured when miscreants pelted stones at a religious procession taken out by the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) in Gujarat’s Narmada district on Friday, police said.
Stones were hurled at the VHP’s `Shaurya Jagran Yatra’ near a mosque at Selamba village in the morning, following which some persons torched two shops, Superintendent of Police Prashant Sumbe said.
“When the Yatra passed the mosque, some miscreants hurled stones at the procession. Around 10 to 15 persons, including a couple of policemen, were injured,” he said.
The police personnel quickly brought the situation under control, the SP said.
“We lobbed seven to eight teargas shells to disperse the mobs from both sides,” Sumbe added.
Following the stone pelting, some people torched two shops in the village, he said.
“We are identifying the culprits. We will also scan videos of the incident,” Sumbe said, adding that strict action will be taken against the people involved in the violence.
Some videos of the incident showed an angry mob pelting stones at the procession and the policemen trying to stop them.
Stone pelting was also reported at Manjusar village in Vadodara district when some villagers were taking Ganesh idols for immersion at a pond on Thursday evening, police said.
“When the tractor carrying three idols reached Garasia mohalla, people living in nearby houses suddenly started throwing stones, injuring three to four persons. Police rushed to the spot, brought the situation under control and helped with the immersion,” deputy superintendent of police B H Chavda said.
Based on a complaint lodged by a villager, a First Information Report was registered against nearly 30 persons, and three to four of them were detained for questioning, he said.
Gujarat Director General of Police Vikas Sahay said such violence was “unacceptable”.
“Such incidents are unacceptable. Police will take stern action against the culprits. Thanks to prompt action by the local police, peace prevails in those areas at present,” Sahay told reporters.
