Eight hurt in India as Hindus, Muslims clash over cricket betting
AHMEDABAD, India (AFP) -
Eight people, including two policemen, were injured in riots that broke out overnight in India's communally sensitive western state of Gujarat over a dispute about betting on cricket results, police said.
A spokesman said Thursday the violence occurred in the Gomtipur area of Ahmedabad (news - web sites), the commercial capital of Gujarat.
"It started off with an argument over betting on (World Cup) cricket results and later took a communal twist as Hindu-Muslims clashed, resorting to arson and vandalism," said Satish Verma, Additional Commissioner of Police for Ahmedabad.
"Police lobbed 46 tear gas shells to control the rioting mob," he said, adding that five shops and several vehicles were torched the windows of many houses were smashed.
"We have (detained) 11 persons from the site," said Verma.
In another area of the city, Muslims attacked police when they asked stall owners to close their stalls at midnight, he said.
"A police van was attacked by a mob of 150 to 200 Muslims in Shahpur area when they went to ask stall-owners of close shops after midnight," Verma said. "Police fired 23 tear gas shells to disperse the crowd."
Gujarat has been in the grip of communal violence since February 27 last year, when 59 Hindus were torched alive in a train carriage in Godhra, more than 100 kilometers (62 miles) east of here.
Subsequent rioting in the state killed more than 2,000 people, mostly Muslims.
Since then communal unrest been plaguing Gujarat, with the slightest provocation leading to sectarian riots.
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