Report on Communal riots

Right a report for your newspaper on Communal riots

Report on Communal riots
by - GN Admin

GeneralNote News Service
Rampur, July 19, 2022
Last evening communal riots broke out in Rajpur locality. Most of the people living in this locality are Hindu. Last evening a rumour spread like wild fire that a city temple had been desecrated as some of the pieces of cow were found in the temple The rumour kept on doing the rounds of the city. About 20 youths gathered at the temple and started shouting anti Muslim slogans. Gradually the group of youth took the form of agitated mob and marched towards Muslim dominated locality. They shouted provocative slogans. The Muslim of the locality also came out of their homes.
On receiving the information, the police immediately swung into action. They pacified the Hindus and persuaded them to go back and verify the facts. They had themselves sent a police party lo the temple and had received the report that there was no act of desecration as alleged by anti-social elements wanting to distuib the communal harmony in the city. But shortly in another Hindu dominated locality of Radhepur a house was set on fire. Stabbing cases were also reported from the same area. When the Hindus came out they shouted anti Muslim slogans and hurled stones at the Muslim mob.

The police re-enforcement was ordered by the district magistrate. Tear gas shells were fired to disperse the crowd. In turn the police were also attacked. The mob stoned the policemen and as a result two policemen were injured. The situation was getting out of control. The reports of killing and stabbing from other areas started pouring in. The police at once imposed curfew in the city. There was heavy patrolling in the area. The fire brigade was pressed into service as cases of arson and looting increased. The fire in certain areas could not be brought under control because of narrow lanes and by lanes.
The D.M. Prabhu Singh claimed that the situation was under control but admitted that the coming days were very crucial to bring peace and normalcy to the strife torn city. Meanwhile, fifty persons of both the communities were arrested.