One person was burnt to death and several houses and vehicles were set ablaze when members of two communities clashed on Wednesday at Karnawad village, about 60 km from Dewas in Madhya Pradesh.
The trouble started late on Tuesday when young men from the upper caste Patidar community had a fight with scheduled caste Balai youth over garba celebrations.
About five people from the Patidar community received gunshot wounds and were admitted to a private hospital in Indore. Sources said Ashok Patidar had a tiff with Vishal Balai over alleged misbehaviour with Patidar women, which flared up into a fight.
Additional District Magistrate Virendra Singh Rawat told Hindustan Times, “Next morning when the Patidar youth were taking the Durga idols for immersion, they turned towards Karnawad village.”
They set fire to several houses, including that of Vishal Balai, besides setting ablaze a Bolero jeep and five to six two-wheelers. The Balais then fired at the attackers. There is, however, no information on how many Balais were injured in the incident, he said.
Sub-divisional police official Dilip Bhandari said: “There is only one dead so far — Vishal Balai — while four others have been injured.” The injured include Roopchand, 24, Dharmendra, 22, Rampratap, 21, Siddarth, 22, and Ashok Patidar, 22.
{{/usCountry}}Sub-divisional police official Dilip Bhandari said: “There is only one dead so far — Vishal Balai — while four others have been injured.” The injured include Roopchand, 24, Dharmendra, 22, Rampratap, 21, Siddarth, 22, and Ashok Patidar, 22.
{{/usCountry}}Senior police officials, who are camping at the village, have assured the Balais that a case would be filed under the Harijan Act.