Sectarian clash: Tension in Anant Nagar

NAGPUR: Tension prevailed in the Anant Nagar area on Friday after members of two sects clashed over appointment of Imam in a mosque.
The situation was brought under control by cops from the Gittikhadan and Sadar police stations as well as reserve forces from the police headquarters. Several high-ranking police personnel also reached the scene on Friday evening to prevent the situation from worsening.
Sources say that the standoff started on Friday morning at New Ahbab colony mosque when some residents of New Ahbab colony objected to appointment of an Imam at their mosque because he belonged to another sect.
At around 5 pm on Friday, several people came down to the Ahbab colony and created a ruckus. They pelted stones and also manhandles some persons, local residents said.
The clash is attributed by local residents to growing rivalry between the members of two sects who live close by in Ahbab colony and New Ahbab colony. Others, however, played down the incident, saying the youngsters had gotten 'carried away'.
"It was a trivial matter, and could have been solved peacefully. It is just that the youngsters from both sects came face to face in an atmosphere that had been tense since morning, and then things got a bit violent," said yet another local resident.
Meanwhile, commissioner of police Praveen Dixit, along with several other officers, visited the spot on Friday evening. Speaking to TOI later, he said, "The entire thing is believed to be only a show of strength, but we have already arrested two people in this case. We believe that the arrests will keep things under control here."