Muslim youth abuse, assault Hindu men, stones pelted in UP's Aligarh after brawl at meat shop

According to the police, two persons entered into an argument at the shop selling cooked chicken and meat products, and a brawl broke out on Monday night.

Aligarh, Jan 17: Members of two communities clashed in Uttar Pradesh's Aligarh following a brawl at a shop selling meat products, said police which deployed a large number of its personnel to bring the situation under control early Tuesday, reported news agency ANI.

The clash was reported around midnight near Sarai Sultani Police Chowki, under the Sasni Gate Police Station limits which escalated to stone pelting, leaving two injured. The injured persons were immediately rushed to the hospital.

A report by Jagran says that the incident turned communal where Muslim youths gathered around a Hindu man and beat him up. According to the report, at around 8:30 PM on Monday one Dilip alias Akash, Himanshu and one more youth reached a shop near hotel Taj. Then, their bike collided with some other bikes. It is alleged that the Muslim youths then started abusing them. When they protested against abuses, the Hindu youths were reportedly assaulted. Himanshu's friend Ankit, who was passing by, saw this and stopped to help him. The Muslim youths and the employees at Taj hotel then allegedly beat them up.

According to the police, two persons entered into an argument at the shop selling cooked chicken and meat products, and a brawl broke out on Monday night. As the news about the incident at the shop spread, members of two communities confronted each other and it turned violent with people throwing stones at each other, police said. They said as soon as information was received, a large deployment of personnel was made in the area, and the situation was brought under control.

"Stones were pelted after a scuffle broke out between some people over buying meat from a shop in Aligarh Some people went to a meat shop. An argument happened between the people and the shopkeeper and later stone pelting happened in which two people were injured," Aligarh District Magistrate Indra Vikram Singh told ANI.

Senior Superintendent of Police Kalanidhi Naithani, who rushed to the spot along with other top district officials, told reporters early Tuesday that the situation is under control but a strict vigil is being maintained. He said a report is being filed, and strong action will be taken against the perpetrators. Security arrangements in the area have been tightened, the officer said.

Meanwhile, an investigation is underway. Three people have been injured till now. The angered Hindu crowd have demanded a probe in the incident.