Communal clashes in Gujarat, six hurt

Ahmedabad:  At least six people, including three policemen, were injured after a minor altercation between two persons snowballed into a communal clash in central Gujarat's Petlad town in Anand district on Monday. The clash prompted the police to lob as many as 24 teargas shells to disperse the mob comprising over 200 people, who were pelting stones at each other and damaging vehicles in a communally sensitive locality. According to Anand Superintendent of Police Saurabh Singh, besides stone-pelting, some people also ransacked a house. He said six persons sustained minor injuries. While the exact reason for the clash was being ascertained, the police said an argument over a trivial issue between a person riding a motorcycle and a tractor driver led to a flare-up between two communities. Saurabh Singh told reporters that the situation was under control but to prevent further trouble as many as 100 policemen drawn from local police, local crime branch and special operations group, have been deployed in the area.