New Delhi: Communal tension broke out in Jalori Gate area of Jodhpur, which led to stone pelting, leaving at least 16 people, including four policemen injured in the early hours of Tuesday.
Curfew has been imposed till midnight of May 4 in areas under the jurisdiction of 10 police stations, including Udai Mandir, Nagori Gate, Khanda Phalsa, Pratap Nagar, Dev Nagar, Soor Sagar and Sardarpura.
The police lobbed tear gas shells to control the situation hours before Eid in the hometown of chief minister Ashok Gehlot, who appealed to the people to maintain peace.
“While respecting the tradition of love and brotherhood of Jodhpur, Marwar, I make a touching appeal to all the parties to maintain peace and cooperate in restoring law and order,” he said in a tweet.
जोधपुर, मारवाड़ की प्रेम एवं भाईचारे की परंपरा का सम्मान करते हुए मैं सभी पक्षों से मार्मिक अपील करता हूं कि शांति बनाए रखें एवं कानून-व्यवस्था बनाने में सहयोग करें।
— Ashok Gehlot (@ashokgehlot51) May 3, 2022
Gehlot also chaired a high-level review meeting and directed the Minister of State for Home Rajendra Yadav, minister in-charge for Jodhpur Subhash Garg, Additional Chief Secretary Home Abhay Kumar and Additional DG (Law and Order) Hawa Singh Ghumaria to travel to Jodhpur by helicopter.
The two sides clashed with each other over installing a religious flag in connection with Eid, police said. According to NDTV, a three-day Parshuram Jayanti festival is also underway in Jodhpur and religious flags were put up by both communities, which led to an argument that spiralled into clashes.
“Four policemen were injured in the stone pelting. Heavy police force was deployed in the area to control the situation,” a source in the police control room said.
Internet services have been suspended in the area, News18 reported. An order issued by Jodhpur divisional commissioner Himanshu Gupta said all internet services will be suspended on May 3 from 1 pm onwards.
(With PTI inputs)