Violence spreads to Wadi, Panigate areas; police open fire

Vadodara, Sep 16 (UNI) Police opened fire at an unruly mob at Nalbandhwada and resorted to lathicharge at several places as communal violence spread to many sensitive localities under Wadi and Panigrate police stations in the city last night.

Reports said more than ten people, including a woman, were injured in clashes between the two communities reported at Nalbandhwada, Ranavas, Bauchawad and Panigate Darwaja areas.

While one sustained injury after being hit by a teargas shell, no one was injured in police firing at Nalbandhwada, police said.

Police fired eight rounds after indiscriminate teargas shells and lathicharge failed to quell the mob, which attacked an SRP tent and set a house ablaze.

Earlier in the day, one person was killed and six others injured when police opened fire on a mob at the riot-hit Fatehpura area.

Later hundreds of people converged in the area for the funeral of the victim Junaid Sheikh (25), an employee of the Gujarat State Road Transport Corporation, who was hit twice in the chest.

After the Nalbandhwada incident, mobs came out onto the streets at Panigate Darwaja, Bauchawad and Ranavas and pelted stones and hurled crude bombs.

Police had a tough time in controlling the unruly mobs despite heavy presence of RAF and jawans of other Central para-military foreces.

Police said the situation in riot-hit areas was tense but under control today.

So far, police have arrested only three people, including Maratha Putra Ganesh Puja Mandal organiser Rajesh Pawar, in connection with Sunday's rioting at Fatehpura during Ganesh immersion.

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