Clash between two communities leaves 1 dead, 18 injured

Azamgarh (UP), Feb 25: One person was killed and 18 others injured when two

clashed over construction of a platform of a religious place in Mohammadpur Bazar area here and went on a rampage, ransacking shops and setting vehicles on fire.

The husband of the village head of Rasoolpur village was constructing the platform of a religious place when the members of the other community objected to it and beat him up yesterday following which both sides clashed and indulged in heavy brickbatting, police said today.

A mob then ransacked the market area, damaging three dozen shops and setting two motorcycles on fire, police said, adding traffic on the Azamgarh-Varanasi and Allahabad state highway remained disrupted for about four hours because of the incident.

There are also reports of firing in the market, police said, adding the situation was brought under control when police and PAC were rushed from the headquarters late in the night.

The deceased has been identified as Vijay Prasad Yadav (32), police said, adding a seriously injured youth, Azhar (20) has been referred to Varanasi hospital.

Some other seriously injured persons were undergoing treatment in local hospitals.

PTI