One injured in fresh clashes in Muzaffarnagar

Troubled Muzaffarnagar was bristling with tension once again after one person sustained bullet injuries in group clashes at Sandhavali village on the outskirts of the city yesterday evening.

Troubled Muzaffarnagar was bristling with tension once again after one person sustained bullet injuries in group clashes at Sandhavali village on the outskirts of the city on Tuesday evening.

After the confrontation, the district administration deployed a large police contingent in the village to maintain law and order.

The fresh clashes erupted four months after deadly communal riots in the Uttar Pradesh city and its adjoining areas left over 60 persons dead and nearly 50,000 displaced from their homes.

Muzaffarnagar is around 500 km from capital Lucknow.

Thousands of the riot-affected are still living in several relief camps set after the clashes.

According to police, a minor fight between children of two different communities led to the fresh clashes.

Police said the parents of one child, who was beaten up, along with some other villagers went to complain about the incident to parents of the other community's children.

Heated arguments ensued between the two groups when one unidentified person opened fire. The victim received bullet injuries in his leg.

The incident triggered panic in the village and information soon reached the police.

A large contingent of police led by circle officer and superintendent of police (city) reached the village. The victim was admitted to hospital and a heavy force deployed in the village.

Senior superintendent of police Hari Narayan Singh said the dispute started among children but later turned into clashes between elders.

On the other hand, village sources said molestation of a girl by youths of another community was the reason behind the incident.

On the basis of an FIR filed by the victim's father, a case under section 307 of IPC has been registered against the culprit. Police are searching for the accused.