The police had to resort to tear gassing and baton charging the clashing people to disperse them. PHOTO: RASHID ALI/EXPRESS
Nineteen persons including a senior police official were injured in a dispute between two religious groups at Shakardarrah village on Friday.
An Eid Miladun Nabi (SAW) procession of about 400 people from different schools of thought was passing through a street when another group of about 200 people allegedly attacked them with sticks and stones.
This led to a violent clash, during which a motorcycle was also set on fire.
The Saddar police baton charged the fighters and fired tear gas at them to settle them down. The clash resulted in injuries to 19 people, who were taken to the District Headquarters Hospital. Another 25 were given first aid by Rescue 1122 officials.
Some women and children in nearby houses were also affected when the tear gas entered their houses.
DSP Abdul Hafeez Olakh said that they have launched an inquiry into the incident. An FIR has been filed against 20 people — 10 each from either group for inciting violence.
The fight follows an altercation on Thursday night, when an Ahle-Sunnat group announced to construct a stage for naat khwani at a location. This was opposed by a group of Deobandis. However, the local elders and the police intervened before the matter got out of control.
On Friday, after the Jumma prayers, when the Ahle-Sunnat group were setting up the stage, the Deobandi group threatened them, warning them not to go beyond the demarcated area or raise slogans, as agreed between the two groups in the earlier altercation.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 2nd, 2013.
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