E-Paper
300 booked in clash over land dispute in Uttar Pradesh’s Varanasi
The clash broke out after a person hitched a cow on the disputed land near a mosque in the city’s Sigra police station area.
The UP police on Monday registered separate cases against 300 unidentified people and nine identified for their alleged role in arson and stone-pelting over a land dispute near a mosque in Varanasi the previous night.
The clash broke out after a man reportedly hitched his cow under a tin shed near the mosque in Sigra area .
Six people were injured and several vehicles damaged in the stone-pelting during the clash.
The police said Mahendra Singh Mintu, a lawyer, claimed he had been hitching his three cows there for many years. As the space under the shed turned muddy because of rain, he asked his nephew to put some dry soil, to which some people from the minority community raised objections, saying the land belonged to the mosque.
An argument turned into a clash, after which the police arrived and resorted to a mild cane charge and use of teargas to control the situation.
District magistrate Yogeshwar Ram Mishra said a large police contingent has been deployed to maintain peace in the area.
Senior administrative and police officials also rushed to the spot to ensure there was no further flare up.
A large contingent of police was deployed in the area to maintain peace in the area.
The DM has instructed police to immediately book those involved in the clash. He also appealed to the people not to pay heed to rumour, adding strict action would be taken against those who tried to breach the peace.
Senior superintendent of police RK Bhardwaj said cops are keeping an eye on the situation, which is under control. A case will be soon registered over the incident.
