What started as a minor quarrel over a minor issue took the form of a riot as more than a thousand Dalits and Darbars came face to face in Sanand late on Thursday. The mob set ablaze many vehicles, shops and also the police outpost near the bus stop in the main market of Sanand.
According to police, the trouble started when a person went to an electronic shop and accidentally dropped an electric fan. The shopkeeper asked the customer to put the fan back to its place, but the latter refused to do so.
"This led to a verbal clash between the customer and the shopkeeper, which turned violent. Very soon, more people from the two sides joined the fight, and took to violence," said Sanand PI, AR Desai.
Sources said that hundreds of people from both sides started attacking each other with wooden sticks, swords, and other weapons.
The angry mobs went on the rampage as they pelted stones, and burnt down vehicles and shops in absolute fury. Sources said a police vehicle was also targeted by the mobs but officials refused to ascertain this.
Desai said that the frenzied mob burnt down four to five shops and a number of vehicles. A police outpost was also set on fire by the rampaging mobs.
Police said that the situation was tense till late night as rumours of fresh clashes kept circulating in the area, even as policemen from other police stations and SRP personnel were rushed to Sanand to control the situation. A team of fire fighters from Ahmedabad was also rushed to Sanand late in the night because of the fire incidents in which vehicles and shops were burnt down.
District superintendent of police Sandeep Singh could not be reached for comments despite several attempts. The traffic from Sarkhej to Sanand has been diverted.
