Communal flare up in Varanasi averted

Varanasi, Apr 19 (UNI) Timely intervention by sagacious people of both communities helped avert a religious dispute between Shia Muslims and Hindus from turning into a communal flare up here today.

Police Superintendent (City) Anant Deo here said a dispute between Shia Muslims and Hindus, over the restablishment of a broken pillar -- considered to be a symbol of an ancient temple --inside a mosque in the Hartirath area here, was prevented from snowballing into a communal flare up.

The pillar in the Phauvarre Vali Masjid, worshipped as the remains of the Kriti Vasveshwar temple, was dislodged by a tree collapse yesterday.

People from Hindu community were trying to restablish it, when those from Shia Muslim community objected to it and the situation became tense, following which RAF and PAC personnel were deployed in the area, he said.

Timely intervention by intellectuals from both communities, however, resulted in the two sides agreeing to the reinstallation of the pillar, Mr Deo added.

Meanwhile, as precautionary measure, PAC and RAF personnel have been posted in the area, Mr Deo said.

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