60 Detained After Communal Clash In Gandhinagar’s Bahiyal Village Over WhatsApp Post

Around 60 people have been detained after members of a minority community allegedly damaged shops and vehicles and pelted stones in a village in Gujarat’s Gandhinagar district following an objectionable social media post, police said on Thursday.

The incident took place late on Wednesday night in Bahiyal village under Dehgam taluka. Four shops and five to six vehicles were damaged during the violence, officials said, according to PTI.

Gandhinagar Superintendent of Police Ravi Teja Vasamsetty told reporters that the violence was triggered by a WhatsApp status posted by a Hindu man on the ongoing “I love Muhammad” trend. The post allegedly angered members of the minority community, leading to the attack.

“At around 11 pm, a large group broke open the shutters of the shop belonging to the person who had put up the WhatsApp status. Goods were taken out of the shop and set on fire,” Vasamsetty said, as reported by PTI. He added that the group later hurled stones at Hindu areas, prompting stone pelting in retaliation.

Assistant Superintendent of Police Ayush Jain confirmed that 60 people had been detained and said others involved in the violence were being identified. “Four shops and five to six vehicles were damaged,” he told reporters.

Heavy police security has since been deployed in the area, and officials said the situation has been brought under control. Police did not provide details of any injuries caused in the clashes.

(With inputs from PTI)