Lucknow, Sep 1 (IANS) Curfew was clamped in five areas of Allahabad in Uttar Pradesh after a mob turned violent over the alleged desecration of a holy book in a Muslim locality, officials said Saturday.
The trouble was sparked off late Friday night in Kareli locality of Old Allahabad town after word was spread that some pages of a holy book were littered near a graveyard.
Police used batons to disperse the mob and even fired in the air. Seventeen people were arrested in the communally sensitive town, about 200 km from here.
Barring minor injuries to four people, no damage was reported to human life or property, Senior Superintendent of Police Dipesh Juneja told IANS.
Timely and effective action by the police prevented the situation from snowballing into communal violence.
Juneja said: “After the rumour spread about the holy book, a big crowd mobbed the Kareli police station and started pelting stones. Initially the cops, far outnumbered, remained on the defensive. Then fresh reinforcements arrived from neighbouring police stations after an SOS was sent.
“The mob resorted to pitched battles with the police. We used mild force but when that did not work, we were forced to order firing in the air to disperse the mob.”
According to the official, the situation was now under control but curfew would continue as a precaution in Kareli, Shahganj, Khuldabad, Kotwali and some parts of Dhoomanganj localities.