Gurgaon: Clash in Sirhaul leaves five injured, police keep vigil

Cops say a disagreement over a children’s cricket match led to violence

A dispute among a group of teenagers playing cricket led to a clash between members of two communities in Sirhaul village on Sunday evening. Five people were injured as sticks and sharp-edged weapons were used by both sides as they clashed near the Sirhaul government school.

A police jeep stationed outside the government school in Sirhaul near which the two groups clashed on Sunday evening. (Parveen Kumar/HT Photo)

According to eyewitnesses, the children were playing cricket in a park when they got into a disagreement, which ultimately led to the clash in which youth from Yadav and Valmiki communities fought for over half an hour.

Police at the Sector 17-18 police station has registered cases for violence against members of both the communities under the SC/ST(prevention of atrocities) Act, and relevant sections of the IPC.

According to the police, the brawl took place around 5.30pm. “The children playing in the park started arguing. One thing led to another and the matter took a serious turn. Youth from both sides joined in and started beating up each other with sticks. Some even took out knives,” said a resident of Sirhaul village.

The five people injured in the clash were admitted to different hospitals by the police. The violence also led to tension in the area as members of the two communities live together as neighbours in the same village.

To prevent the situation from worsening, police force from Sector 18 police station, Palam Vihar and Udyog Vihar was deployed immediately. “A large number of police personnel remained deployed in the village throughout the night. We have registered cases against both sides — the Yadav and the Valmiki communities — and a probe is being conducted,” said Ram Kumar, SHO, Sector 17-18 police station.

Former Gurgaon mayor Vimal Yadav, who hails from Sirhaul, said the clash was being given a caste colour when it was only a fight between two groups of young men. “Boys from both sides have forgotten the customs and traditions of the village and are wasting their energy,” he said.

Last year, a Kabaddi tournament meant to promote intercaste unity at Chakkarpur village in Gurgaon ended in violence between the Yadav and the Dalit teams. Ten people were injured in the clash and gunshots were also reportedly fired. A case for the same was registered at the DLF Sector 29 police station.