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Jalgaon
(Maharashtra): Two persons belonging to different
communities have been reported killed and scores including some
policemen are injured in a communal violence that
erupted Monday evening in Raver - a North Maharashtra town some 60 kms from here.
Police have imposed curfew and the
situation is said to be under control but tense.
According to eyewitnesses, problem
began on Monday evening when a funeral procession with music band
passed through Maniar Bada Masjid at the time of Maghrib prayer
and some youths requested to stop the music.
"The procession passed through
peacefully after the argument. But while returning after the
funeral, unruly mob started pelting stones and indulged in arson
and looting", a local teacher said while speaking to ummid.com on
phone.
Soon violence spread to other parts
of the town. Two local youths, Sanjay Dahngar and Rehman Tadvi
died in the violence.
Incidents of attacks on people
including women who were returning to Raver from Urus at
nearby Rasulpur town were also reported.
Police took control of the town and
imposed curfew from 04:00 in the morning.
Locals of the town are accusing the
police of indiscriminately arresting the Muslim youths during the
curfew.
"Today afternoon at around 12:30 pm,
police picked up 10-12 youths from Gausia Masjid. The youths were
preparing for Zuhur prayers. Police entered the mosque with their
boots on and arrested the youths", said a local.
Raver, a town in North Maharashtra
has a population of 35,000. Communal violence is becoming a
routine in this town which has 40% Muslim population.
Two months back the town saw similar
kind of violence at the time of Ganpati.
In 2008, communal clashes had
disrupted normal life in the town for about a week.
Some people accuse the police of
shielding the criminal elements and allege that it is why communal
violence in routinely taking place in Raver.
"After the violence two months back,
police instead of taking action against those involved in rioting,
had arrested innocents and even members of Peace Committee
belonging to Hindu and Muslim both communities", the teacher said
on the condition of anonymity.
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