Karnataka - Belgaum   

Tension in Hukkeri as groups clash

Belgaum: There was tension in Hukkeri town as communal violence broke out with people belonging to two religious communities resorting to violence and arson on Thursday.

Several shops were attacked and a few of them were set on fire and dozens of people injured in the clashes that broke out during a religious procession organised as part of the annual Sri Lakshmi Devi Rathotsava celebrations.

The police resorted to lathicharge and burst teargas shells to control the unruly groups. Superintendent of Police Soniya Narang and senior police officials rushed to the town.

The local administration immediately declared prohibitory orders for 24 hours to bring the situation under control. According to sources, trouble started at 6.30 p.m. when the processionists, who were near a place of worship on Bazaar Road, were asked to pass through without making noise. This led to a verbal altercation. Later, the situation took a violent turn with miscreants throwing stones on the processionists and attacking roadside shops near Library Circle and Bazaar Road. The other group retaliated leading to clashes between two religious groups.

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