5 injured in group clashes in Guj

"Five persons from Bharwad (pastoral) and Koli Patel community were injured," Ahmedabad (Rural) SP Gagandeep Gambhir said.

"We have also recovered two weapons and sent them to the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) to ascertain whether bullets were fired from it or not. We have stationed police force in the village keeping in mind the history of the village," she said.

Amipur in Bavla taluka here had witnessed group clashes four years back.

A boy belonging to one community was grazing cattle in the village when a bike-borne man from another community knocked him down, Gambhir said.

Before the incident could trigger a major quarrel between the two communities, police reacted immediately but by then stone throwing and firing had taken place, a police official said.

A member of one community was allegedly hurt in the firing while the rest were injured in the stone-throwing, police said, adding that members of the other community also claimed that they were injured in the firing.

Police have not rounded up anyone in the case but have asked villagers not to leave the village till investigation was over, Gambhir added.