Communal clashes erupt in Jodhpur; 51 detained, 2 cops injured.

According to the police, the clashes broke out over the installation of two new gates at an Eidgah near Rajaram Circle. The Rajasthan’s Jodhpur police on Saturday detained at least 51 people in connection with a violent clash which broke out in the Soorsagar area between two religious groups late on Friday night, said the police officials familiar with the development. According to the police, the clashes broke out over the installation of two new gates at an Eidgah near Rajaram Circle. “The dispute has been going on for the last few days…The incident took place at around 10:15pm (on Friday) when a group of 10 to 15 locals pelted stones at another group from the Eidgah”, Jodhpur police commissioner Rajendra Singh said. As the tension escalated, the mob set a local shop ablaze and vandalised two cars, including a police van, Singh added. According to the police officials familiar with the matter, a dispute has been going on for the past few days over the installation of the two new gates at Eidgah’s rear wall after the locals alleged their construction did not follow the legal protocols of the local municipality. Locals protested when the staff proceeded to inaugurate the gates at Eidgah on Friday night, Singh said. He added, however, the police and the local municipality officials reached the spot, and the matter was settled between the two groups at around 9:30pm followed by a negotiation in the presence of five members from both groups. “The agreement prompted an immediate closure of the gates and the mob was dispersed,” said Singh. He said that tension sparked when a group of 10 to 15 people suddenly started pelting stones in Vyapariyon ka Mohalla and retaliation surfaced from the other group. “The incident left two police personnel, including the inspector of the Chaupasni Housing Board police station, Nitin Dave and constable Shaitan Singh, injured. Dave sustained a serious injury to his neck and was rushed to the hospital. He was discharged on Saturday morning. Singh was also discharged after a primary treatment”, the commissioner said.