25 injured in clashes between two groups in UP; 11 arrested

Twenty-five people were injured in clashes that broke out between two groups in Mangta village here in Kanpur Dehat district, police said on Friday.

Eleven people were arrested after the violence on Thursday during the 'Bhim Shobha Yatra' taken out by members of the Scheduled Caste community after the Bhim Katha, which began on February 8.

"Both the communities entered into an altercation after a minor youth allegedly tore a poster of Dr B R Ambedkar. Both the groups also started pelting stones at each other, injuring 25 people," Additional Superintendent of Police, Anup Kumar, said.

Superintendent of Police (Kanpur Dehat), Anurag Vats, said minor children belonging to the upper cast tore a poster of Dr B R Ambedkar that led to clashes between the two groups.

Twenty-five people, who sustained injuries during the incident, were admitted to the Ursula Horsman Memorial (UHM) hospital in Kanpur, the SP said, adding that eight of them were discharged while the condition of the others was stated to be stable.

"We have registered FIRs against men of upper caste following complaint of one Amit Kumar," Vats said, adding that the FIR has been registered under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the SC/ST Act.

Police said they nabbed 11 people, who were sent to jail on Friday evening, in connection with the incident.

Reacting to the incident, Congress general secretary in charge of Uttar Pradesh East, Priyanka Gandhi, tweeted in Hindi, "In Mangta village of Kanpur Dehat, Dalits reciting Bhim Katha were attacked by bullies. Several people are hospitalised."