Clashes erupt in India’s New Delhi during Hindu procession

Police stand guard in Jahangirpuri, New Delhi, on April 16, 2022, after clashes between members of two communities [Deepak/AFP]

Clashes broke out throughout a Hindu non secular procession within the Indian capital, New Delhi, on Saturday that left a number of folks and cops injured.

The violence erupted between Muslims and Hindus through the procession in Jahangirpuri, a suburb of New Delhi, eye witnesses stated.

Police stated they have been nonetheless investigating the supply of the disturbances.

“We're nonetheless assessing how many individuals are injured … some policemen have additionally been damage,” stated Deependra Pathak, a police official in Jahangirpuri.

The violence broke out throughout a procession to mark the Hindu pageant of Hanuman Jayanti, police stated with out giving additional particulars.

Earlier on Saturday, protesters in New Delhi shouted slogans in opposition to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s authorities saying Muslims had been violently focused by authorities final week within the aftermath of Hindu-Muslim clashes in elements of three states dominated by Modi’s Hindu nationalist get together.

The clashes final Sunday throughout a non secular pageant prompted police to impose a curfew in a single city and ban gatherings of greater than 4 folks in elements of the states.

Native authorities tore down the houses and outlets of suspected Muslim rioters in central Madhya Pradesh state within the aftermath of final weekend’s violence that broke out through the Hindu pageant of Ram Navami, stated a police official who didn't wish to be named.

In Modi’s house state, Gujarat, authorities demolished makeshift outlets belonging to these they stated have been concerned within the riots through which one man was killed.

Opposition politicians have accused Modi’s right-wing Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Celebration of stoking tensions between majority Hindus and Muslims in states that it guidelines.

Leaders of 13 opposition events issued a joint assertion calling for peace and concord after the non secular clashes.

“We're extraordinarily anguished on the method through which points associated to meals, costume, religion, festivals and language are being intentionally utilized by sections of the ruling institution to polarise our society,” the leaders stated.