Aligarh (UP): Ten people sustained severe injuries and eight others were arrested by the police after a ruckus broke out between the two communities over 'Holika Dahan' (Holika burning). The dispute was escalated by stone pelting and soon it turned violent on Friday in UP's Nayabas area under Aligarh police station limits.
An eyewitness said that the people belonging to one community used to burn Holika ahead of Holi, the festival of colours, but on Thursday, people belonging to another community burnt Holika, which agitated others. On Friday, the two opposing parties came face-to-face, and a heated argument ensued between the two communities, which eventually, led to stone pelting.
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Among the injured, two from one community, including a woman, and eight from another community were rushed to a hospital. Subsequently, the police, who reached the spot and took the situation under control, and detained eight people, however, Dalits staged a protest in front of the police station alleging that the police detained people belonging to their community while they released the persons belonging to another community.
Dalits accompanied by the Bhim Army and injured woman staged a protest in front of the police station demanding justice. Jurisdictional Officer Atrauli Vishal Chaudhary said the police registered a case and also launched a probe into the incident. Legal action will be taken against those who will be found guilty and the police also started interrogating those who were taken into custody, he said.
