Three persons were killed and more than 25, including police personnel, injured when two communities clashed in the Rajasthan town of Gopalgarh in Bharatpur district on Wednesday. It was not clear whether the deaths were due to exchange of fire between the two communities or the police firing which followed.
Six police station areas — Gopalgarh, Kaman, Nagar, Pahari, Jurera and Sikri — have been brought under curfew while prohibitory orders are in force in the whole of Bharatpur district. Reports reaching here said the violent mob set fire to shops and houses and indulged in large-scale vandalism damaging properties belonging to the rival group.
Superintendent of Police Hinglaz Dhan said the situation is tense but under control.
Reinforcements have been sent to the area from the neighbouring districts and Jaipur.
The SP and Collector are camping in the area.
Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, who was away in the districts in connection with the launch of the “Janani Shishu Surksha Yojna” during the day, called a meeting to assess the situation soon after his return to the capital in the evening. The meeting was attended by Home Minister Shanti Dhariwal, Chief Secretary S. Ahmed, Additional Chief Secretary (Home) P.K. Deb and senior police officials.
Gopalgarh, a small town not far from the Uttar Pradesh border, has been simmering for two days with one community disputing allocation of land for a burial site to the other on the plea that it was common land and once a community lake.
The authorities had initiated a dialogue between the two communities and their representatives had almost reached an agreement to settle the issue amicably.
However, the situation seemingly got out of control around noon.
