25 Dalit houses set on fire as caste clash rocks UP town
FRIDAY FURY Procession to commemorate Maharana Pratap’s birth anniversary sparks row
A man was killed in alleged caste clashes at a village in northwestern Uttar Pradesh’s Saharanpur area on Friday, while 25 Dalit houses were set ablaze in retaliation.
Violence broke out when members of the Thakur community from Shimlana village took out a music-filled procession to commemorate the birth anniversary of medieval Rajput warriorking Maharana Pratap.
When the parade was passing through the predominantly Dalit village of Shabirpur, residents objected to the allegedly raucous celebration, triggering an exchange of heated words. The altercation ballooned into a fullblown clash with both groups throwing stones and bricks at each other.
A stone hit a 25-year-old Thakur man fatally. His death further enraged the community and more Thakurs from neighbouring villages gathered at Shabirpur and set at least 25 Dalit houses on fire. They allegedly attacked police and fire brigade personnel who had dashed to the village. A fire engine was damaged, sources said. Several people, including a police inspector, were wounded in the attack.
Police reinforcements have reached the area, and the situation is said to be under control but tense. Saharnpur District Magtistrate MP Singh said that Shimlana villagers had taken permission to carry out the procession.
Reacting to the violence, UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath said, “I can say with confidence that everyone will be safe in the state without any discrimination and rule of law is the priority of the state government”.
The area had recorded similar clashes this April when the BJP took out a procession to mark the birth anniversary of Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar.
Clashes had broken out when members of a community allegedly objected to the procession and threw stones at the rallyists.
The 42-year-old parliamentarian for Saharanpur, Raghav Lakhanpal Sharma of the BJP, a senior police officer, were among the wounded.