UP DGP rushes to Saharanpur after group clashes, says no one has fled

Uttar Pradesh DGP Sulkhan Singh on Monday said no one fled from Shabbirpur village here where violent clashes broke out between two groups in which one person was killed on Friday. Singh and Principal Secretary (Home) Devashish Pandey, who visited Saharanpur to assess the situation, said stern action would be taken against the accused in the incidents of violence in the district's Shabbirpur and Sadak Dudhali villages.

The two senior officers had a meeting with local representatives of political parties in connection with the two incidents in the distrct.

They were apprised of the incidents by district administration officials also.

Singh and Pandey said the officers concerned of Saharanpur division have been ordered to ensure that Eid celebrations and upcoming local bodies polls take place peacefully.

When asked, the DGP said villages have not fled from Shabbirpur after the clashes. Some residents are with their injured relatives and many other are not there because a case has been registered in connection with the incident.

On giving compensation to the victims, the top police officer said it will be decided after the district administration submits reports on the incidents.

The clashes, that saw brickbats and arson, broke out on Friday following a dispute over loud music being played during a procession being taken out by 20-25 youths belonging to the upper caste Thakur community from Shabbirpur village who were going to take part in a function to garland a statue of Rajput warrior king Maharana Pratap. Dalit locals objected to the loud music in the procession that was going to Simlana village. On April 20, communal clashes had broken out at Sadak Dudhali village in the district during a Dalit procession to celebrate BR Ambedkar's birth centenary.