2 weeks Ago
1 2 Times News Network Ludhiana: Tension gripped Bihari Colony in Transport Nagar on Friday, when members of two groups clashed and allegedly pelted stones at each other. Initially, both groups had an argument in the afternoon, after which police reached the spot. By late evening, they clashed again.
Members of both groups accused each other of attacking them with stones and creating a ruckus but Moti Nagar police have so far booked members of one group, besides some unidentified individuals. Ludhiana Police maintained that there was no communal angle in the clash. According to the police, the clash took place near a religious place, from where members of one group were coming out after prayers.
On the opposite side, migrant labourers in the area were playing loud music during Holi celebrations. A few individuals got into a heated argument, which was followed by stone-pelting, resulting in many people suffering minor injuries. Members of one community said that the stones pelted by the opposite group damaged the windows of the religious place.
On the other hand, the migrant labourers said that they were celebrating Holi and dancing when the other group started pelting stones at them for playing music. Senior police officials reached the spot and searched several houses. Police also rounded up people from the area and examined footage of CCTV cameras, which showed some minor boys throwing stones.
On Saturday, police were deployed at the spot to prevent any further untoward incidents. Meanwhile, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA from the Central constituency, Ashok Parashar Pappi, visited Bihari Colony and met members of both groups. He appealed to people to maintain communal harmony in the city.
On the statement of ASI Sahib Singh, Moti Nagar police registered a case against 35 suspects, including Vinod, Ajit, Gagan, Ashok, Krishna, Kishan, Sandeep, Pappu, Manoj, Vidyarthi, Jatinder, Dharminder, Munna, Birju, Kanhayiya, Babu, Madan Lal, Amarjit, Lakshman, and Sarwan, and 15 unidentified persons under sections 194 (2) (affray), 191 (3) (rioting armed with deadly weapons), 190 (every member of unlawful assembly guilty of offence committed in prosecution of common object), 299 (deliberate and malicious act, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs) of BNS. Additional deputy commissioner of police (ADCP, city 4) Prabhjot Singh Virk said that so far, police have arrested eight persons. He added that there was no communal angle in the clash.
As per police probe, some people were creating a nuisance in an inebriated condition, which led to the clash. Further investigation is on and the situation is under control. MSID:: 119044352 413 |.
