A group of Muslims pelted stones at a police team undertaking a combing operation in the communally sensitive Shahpur area of the old city on Sunday evening, on the eve of Eid-ul-Zuha.
The police said they fired at least a dozen teargas shells after the stone throwing. Additional security forces were then deployed.
The situation has been tense since Saturday, when the police had intercepted a vehicle carrying calves in the area. They say the calves were being taken to slaughter houses ahead of
Eid-ul-Zuha, for sacrifice. However, in Gujarat killing of any cow or its progeny is banned and a punishable offence.
“The incident (of stone pelting) happened when a few local crime branch officials had come to arrest some persons in the Shahpur area. We had to fire teargas to control the crowd,” police commissioner Shivanand Jha told journalists. A few rounds of bullets might have also been fired by the police to disperse the crowd, said Jha, adding he did not have the number. He said two policemen were injured.
Jha said he had a meeting with local leaders, who’d assured full support. “All the local leaders are with us in maintaining peace and calm in the area ahead of the festival,” he said.
Local community leader and legislator Gyasuddin Sheikh said the incident was “triggered by rumours and misunderstanding between the people and the police. The situation is under control and we are extending all our support to the police to maintain peace", he told reporters.
