Communal clash in Vadodara during Ganesh procession; no one injured

VADODARA: Members of two communities clashed and threw stones at each other when a procession carrying an idol of Lord Ganesh was passing through a sensitive locality in Gujarat's Vadodara city, police officials said on Tuesday.

The police have so far detained 13 people in connection with the clash which broke out late Monday night, they said, adding that no one was injured in the stone pelting. An FIR was registered at Vadodara city police station against members of both the sides on charges of rioting and unlawful assembly, the police said.

The members of the two communities pelted each other with stones after an argument broke out between them over some issue when the Ganesh procession was passing through Panigate Darwaza in the communally sensitive Mandvi locality at around 11.15 pm, a city police official said.

''People from the two communities started arguing with each other. The matter escalated with members from both the groups hurling stones at each other. In the process, a glass on the main gate of a mosque was damaged,'' the official said.

No one was injured, he said.

Thirteen people have been detained so far in this connection, he said.

The FIR was registered under various Indian Penal Code Sections including 143 (unlawful assembly), 147 (rioting), 336 (rash act endangering human life or personal safety), 295 (defiling place of worship), the official said.

Police presence in the area was enhanced and patrolling was being carried out to maintain law and order, he said.

Joint Commissioner of Police Chirag Koradia told reporters that the situation is under control and peaceful and the crime branch is carrying out an investigation into the incident.

''The situation is peaceful and we appeal to people not to pay heed to any kind of rumour,'' he said.