The Tribune, 03-09-10,

 

3 cops among 10 hurt in communal clashes

Ahmedabad, September 9
At least 10 persons, including three policemen, were injured tonight when communal clashes marred Ganesh idols immersion in Vadodara city and Balasinore town of Gujarat, police sources said here.

The violence in Vadodara erupted when acid bulbs were hurled at a Ganesh immersion procession, triggering clashes between two groups throwing stones at each other in two incidents at Panitgate and Yakoubpura localities, leaving three policemen and two civilians injured, they said.

The sources said at least three policemen were injured at Panitgate when one group hurled acid bulbs at the procession and police party. The police fired in the air to disperse the mob, they said.

Power supply in Yakoubpura area went off, triggering stone pelting among groups even as officials said this might have provoked some mischief mongers.

Director-General of Police K. Chakravarthi dismissed reports which said over 30 persons were injured in Vadodara violence.

The police arrested two officials of cellular phone companies on the charge of defying the police orders banning sending of SMS on account of the sensitivity of the occasion.

Members of two communities hurled stones at each other in Balasinore town of Kheda district, leaving at least five persons injured, prompting the police to explode teargas shells to disperse the warring groups, said the sources. One SRP jawan sustained minor injuries in a clash between groups of the same community at Rameshar village in Panchmahahls district of central Gujarat. — PTI