Clashes and protest in Phagwara, heavy police force deployed

Phagwara: Members of two communities armed with swords and other sharp weapons clashed and hurled stones at each other in Phagwara on Friday. They took out protest march and clashed with each other at the Gaushala Road in Phagwara. Heavy police force was deployed in the town to prevent any untoward incident with Jalandhar Zone IG Loknath Angra, Kaputhala Deputy Commissioner Jaskiran Singh and SSP Rajinder Singh rushed to the scene to pacify the warring groups. [caption id=“attachment_2910128” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Representational image. AFP[/caption] Both the sides indulged in hurling stones at each other and later claimed that a few of their activists were injured. Meanwhile, local ‘Aman’(Peace) Committee of Phagwara appealed to all concerned to maintain peace, communal harmony and brotherhood. In a release, Committee’s President Manohar Lal Kaura and General Secretary Hari Singh Jaswal said inter-faith brotherhood and communal harmony are part of rich heritage and all should contribute to it. They also asked police and civil administration to take remedial steps for redressing grievances of the concerned sides and for upholding peace and amity in the city. Meanwhile, Shiv Sena Bal Thackeray gave call of Phagwara Bandh to press their demand for transfer of local SP and DSP for allegedly mishandling the clash earlier in the day. Local police booked eight Shiv Sena Bal Thackeray leaders and 40-50 other unknown persons on charges of murderous assault, deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs, rioting, armed with deadly weapons and relevant Sections of Arms Act. The case was registered on complaint of Maulana Ubais-ur-Rehman, Imam, Jama Masjid.