Clash, lathicharge at Bhojshala

Basant Panchami at the disputed Bhojshala-Kamal Maula premises on Friday was a ticking time bomb that, thankfully, did not explode. But it was not completely peaceful either.Punya Priya Mitra and Ritesh Mishra report.

Basant Panchami at the disputed Bhojshala-Kamal Maula premises on Friday was a ticking time bomb that, thankfully, did not explode. But it was not completely peaceful either.

HT Image

With 30,000 devotees descending on the premises determined on worshipping Goddess Saraswati and not allowing Muslims to offer Friday namaz, the police had to fire several rounds of tear-gas shells and lathicharge a stone-pelting mob twice in three hours.

As many as 13 people sustained injuries and there were unconfirmed reports about a casualty – which senior police officials denied.

Several official vehicles, an OB van and two motorcycles were damaged.