Communal violence in Saharanpur over Ambedkar Jayanti procession; FIR against BJP MP

Saharanpur (UP): Stone-pelting incident between two communities led to the several persons getting injured that included a local MP and a senior police officer on Thursday. The clash took place during a rally to mark Ambedkar Jayanti in Sadak Dudhali village. The shobh yatra by Dalits was objected by members of the Muslim community as it was passes through the latter’s locality following which the matter escalated. Local administration had denied permission for the shobha yatra but still it was taken out. The procession was taken out for the first time in 7 years. The rally being taken out to mark BR Ambedkar's birth anniversary in Sadak Dudhali village here was allegedly objected to by members of a community who started pelting stones, they said. According to newsagency PTI, BJP MP Raghav Lakhanpal Sharma and SSP Kumar were among several people who suffered injuries in the ensuing stone pelting from both the sides, they said, adding some other policemen were also injured. Following this, police reached the spot and pacified both the groups. However, the MP along with his supporters reached outside the SSP's official residence and started protesting demanding conduct of the rally and suspension of the Senior Superintendent of Police, police said. "A peaceful rally was taken out to mark BR Ambedkar's birth anniversary which was attacked by a group here. The MP was injured in the incident," a spokesperson of the MP told PTI. The SSP said permission for the rally was not given by the administration. "75 per cent miscreants were outsiders. Police advised them to not carry out the procession since they did not have permission and then stone pelting ensured," Md. Ayub, local villager. Taking strict action, the police held a flag march saying those who pelted stones will be identified and arrested. The situation was normal on Friday morning with heavy police deployment. An FIR was registered against Raghav Lakhanpal Sharma on Friday afternoon. Western UP’s Saharanpur is considered to be a communally sensitive area. In 2014 riots occurred between Muslims and Sikhs over a piece of land.