Lucknow: A state with ruling saffron party is slowly turning political with clashes erupting between majority and minority communities.
The Maharajganj police in UP arrested 10 Muslims on Monday in connection with clashes that broke in Bargadwa village after they objected to replacing the saffron flag with an already placed Muharram flag on an electrical pole, Indian express reported.
The complaint was lodged by a local resident named Ram Narayan under sections 147 (rioting), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace), 336 (act endangering life or personal safety of others) and 436 (mischief by fire or explosive substance) against 14 people — all Muslims — and 25 unidentified people.
Speaking on the arrests made, SHO Manish Kumar Singh, Paniwara PS said: “The other group (Muslim residents) has not filed any police complaint so far.”
Reporting on the crime, the SHO said, a group comprising of Hindu community tried to remove the green flag which was put up on an electrical pole around Sunday noon.
“When they were trying to remove the flag, some members of the Muslim community arrived there and objected. A heated argument ensued and soon more people joined in…It eventually led to a clash,” Singh said.
Both communities there stones and attacked each other. The people only dispersed after the Police arrived at the scene. Ever since the clash broke between the two communities several Muslims have left the village said the officer. The village has a 65% Hindu population compared to the minority community.
The arrested Muslims were produced before a local court, which sent them to judicial custody, Maharajganj Circle Officer Devendra Kumar said.