A mob of more than 500 persons allegedly attacked policemen in Aurangabad in Maharashtra after some youth clashed among themselves, a senior official said on Thursday.
The incident took place on Wednesday night in Kiradpura, which has a renowned Ram Temple where a huge crowd is expected as usual to celebrate Ram Navami during the day, he said.
The matter escalated when more people gathered at the spot and started pelting stones at each other.
The mob also set several public and police vehicles on fire outside the temple, said police.
Police officials reached the spot and brought the situation under control. Tear gas shells were fired to disperse the crowd. Three fire brigade vehicles also reached the spot to extinguish the vehicles that were torched. More police personnel were deployed in the area and security was beefed up to prevent untoward incidents.
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"We don't know who the people, numbering 500 to 600, involved in the attack were. It started after some youth clashed. A combing operation is underway to nab them," Police Commissioner Nikhil Gupta told PTI.
"The mob incident went on for almost an hour. The Ram Temple is safe. Around six to seven vehicles were damaged. No arrest has been made so far," he added.
In videos circulating on social media, local All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen Lok Sabha MP Imtiaz Jaleel, state Bharatiya Janata Party minister Atul Save and others can be seen making efforts to ensure peace.
"The Ram Temple is safe. Police must nab those involved immediately," Jaleel said.
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"A clash broke out between two groups in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar's Kiradpura area. Stones were pelted, some private and police vehicles were set on fire. Police used force to disperse the people and now the situation is peaceful. Police will take strict action against the miscreants," Nikhil Gupta, CP, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, told reporters.
AIMIM's National Corporator Mohammed Naseeruddin shared a video on Twitter and said Aurangabad MP Imtiaz Jaleel went to the Ram temple following which false news was spread that some miscreants had attacked the temple.
