Road accident triggers communal clash in Gujarat's Vadodara; 19 held

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A minor road accident led to a communal clash in Gujarat's Vadodara city, with rioters throwing stones, vandalising a shrine and damaging some vehicles, police said on Monday.

Police have arrested 19 people so far for rioting after the incident occurred late Sunday night.

A Karelibaug police station official said that the clash broke out following a road accident involving two-wheelers belonging to people from two communities in the city's Raopura locality.

The matter escalated and in no time people from two communities gathered and hurled stones at each other in the Karelibaug locality, neighbouring the Raopura area. A mob vandalised the idol at a shrine located on the roadside, two autorickshaws and as many two-wheelers, the police official said.

"Police rushed to the area and brought the situation under control. We carried out a combing operation in the area and arrested 15 persons in this connection during the night," said DCP (Zone 4), Panna Momaya. Police officials put the number of arrested persons at 19.

An FIR was registered at Karelibaug police station under various sections of the Indian Penal Code for rioting, unlawful assembly, holding deadly weapons, defiling the place of worship with intent to insult the religion of any class against unidentified groups of people.

Security has been beefed up in the area and the situation is under control now, the officials added.

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