Around half-a-dozen shops and houses were set ablaze when members of two communities clashed during 'Barawafat' procession taken out to mark the birth anniversary of Prophet Mohammad, police said in Bareilly on Tuesday.
"Though no casualty has been reported as of now, but around half-a-dozen shops and houses were set ablaze during communal clash in Prem Nagar area this evening," police spokesman Gopesh Khanna told PTI over phone.
Sources said that while Muslims were taking out the the Barawafat procession, Hindus were taking out a separate Holi procession in the city. Trouble broke out when some elements pelted stones on 'barawafat' procession leading to a clash between two groups, which engaged in heavy brick batting, he said. The spokesman said the police led by senior officers reached the spot and controlled the situation. "As a precautionary measure curfew has been clamped in troubled areas including Prem Nagar, Qila, Baradari and Kotwali," he said. An additional five companies of PAC from adjoining district were being rushed on the directive of Additional Director General of Police Brij Lal, he added. PTI
