Communal tension in 2 districts, cops deployed

Lucknow: Religious events in Bulandshahr and Bahraich districts in Uttar Pradesh have led to communal violence and tension in the past 24 hours and a heavy deployment of police has been made in both the districts.

According to reports, a “shobha yatra” being taken out in Bulandshahr district on Thursday evening led to tension between two communities when those participating in the yatra resorted to firing by pistols and rifles in the procession.

The police arrested one accused from the spot while the other managed to escape. Sources said that both the men who opened fire were heavily drunk.

Ompal Lodhi was leading a procession carrying an “akhand jyoti” (immortal flame), while Premvir Lodhi was leading a similar procession. The firing began when Ompal Lodhi refused to allow the yatra led by Premvir Lodhi saying that his yatra would pass first.

As the two groups opened fire, there was panic in the area and the police stalled Premvir’s yatra and later led it to its destination under police security.

SHO Avanish Kumar said that police teams had been set up to arrest Premvir who is absconding and additional forces have been deployed as a precautionary measure.

In Bahraich, a face-off was witnessed between the two communities over installation of an idol of Goddess Durga on Thursday. A similar incident had taken place a day earlier in which 8 cops were injured.

One community alleged that the other community did not have the permission for installation of the idol and even tried to damage the idol. This led to tension and both groups pelted stones at each other.

The police tried to intervene and faced the ire of both the communities. Later, the cops resorted to lathicharge and teargas shells.

As tension prevailed through the night, the police registered an FIR against 32 named and 250 unnamed persons.

PAC personnel have been deployed in the area and district magistrate Mala Srivastava said that 15 persons had been arrested so far.