Clash between Thakurs and Dalits in UP, 1 killed and 25 houses torched

The clash broke out over a dispute on Rajput ruler Maharana Pratap's procession.

Saharanpur, May 6: A clash broke out between the Thakur and Dalit communities in Shabbirpur village of Saharanpur in Uttar Pradesh. In the clash, a 35-year-old man was killed and more than 25 houses were set afire. The clash broke out over a dispute on Rajput ruler Maharana Pratap's procession.

UP: 1 dead, 25 houses torched, vehicles vandalized after clashes broke out between two communities in Saharanpur (05/05/2017) pic.twitter.com/7N1UDmZPil

— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) May 6, 2017

According to the reports, it was the latest clash in the three-month-old dispute between the two communities after the installation of Ambedkar statue in Shabbirpur village. While the village is dominated by Dalits, neighbouring village Simlana is dominated by Thakurs.

According to police, the injured were rushed to a nearby hospital where one person identified as Sumit Rajput of Rassolpur village succumbed to injuries on the way.

They said that all the 25 houses that were torched are of Shabbirpur village.

Jitender Kumar Shahi, DIG of Saharanpur said that Sumit had gone to Simlana village to take part in a function to garland the statue of Maharana Pratap. He added that the post-mortem report says that they were no injuries on his body but he died due to suffocation.

Based on complaints by Thakurs, the local police registered four separate FIRs against the Dalits on various charges that include murder and attempt to murder. Reports said that no one was arrested so far.

Another top police official said that the tension arose in Shabbirpurafter Thakurs moved towards Simlana in procession with loud music to attend the function. He added that the function was organised without prior permission.

Unable to bear loud music, village head Shiv Kumar objected and had called the police station to complain about the same.

By the time the police reached the spot, there was a minor clash between the two communities. The police dispersed the clash and convinced the Thakurs not to proceed with the procession.

However, 300 Thakurs reached Shabbirpur with sticks and sharp weapons and attacked the Dalits and during this police were also attacked.

Later police confirmed that more 20, 000 Thakurs reached Dalit's village and torched 25 houses.

However, heavy security was deployed along with fire tenders and the clash was dispersed after hours.

OneIndia News