Dalit-Muslim clashes rattle western Uttar Pradesh again
On Tuesday night, Dalits and Muslims clashed at Sonata village in Shamli district over sharing water from a hand-pump. At least six houses of both the communities were set on fire by the rioters and half-a-dozen people also sustained injuries.
Three incidents of communal violence were reported from the volatile western part of Uttar Pradesh in the last 24 hours.
On Tuesday night, Dalits and Muslims clashed at Sonata village in Shamli district over sharing water from a hand-pump. At least six houses of both the communities were set on fire by the rioters. Half-a-dozen people also sustained injuries.
The Dalits alleged that they were prevented from using the hand-pump in the village. "We were not being allowed to use the hand-pump for the last one year. We used to avail the service of another hand-pump. But now we have no option because it is not working," villager Ram Babu told the police.
A large police force has been deployed to prevent further violence in the village.
In another incident on Tuesday evening, a Muslim youth died of bullet injury sustained in a communal clash at Datiyana village in Muzaffarnagar district.
Eyewitnesses told the police that trouble broke out when the youth tried to stop a villager from thrashing a labourer. "This led to a clash between the two communities. Both the sides fired at each other. The youth was hit by a bullet and died on his way to the hospital," an eyewitness said. One person has been arrested in connection with the murder.
Matkota area in Hathras district witnessed communal clashes on Wednesday when some people objected to dumping of construction material on the road.
The construction material was meant to build a house in the locality. The clash left two people injured.