At least 18 people, including three policemen, were injured in clashes involving people belonging to two communities during a religious procession in Farrukhabad, police said on Friday. The trouble began when a group of Buddhists, taking out a 'dham yatra' (religious procession) at the Buddhist pilgrimage centre of 'sankisa', raised objectionable slogans provoking 'sanatan dharmis' (Hindus), police said.
Mild force was used to disperse the crowd, which indulged in heavy stone-pelting, police said adding someone from the crowd also fired in the air triggering panic. No arrest has been made in this connection, police said. Buddhists and sanatan dharmis have always been at loggerheads over the issue of possession of Bisari Devi temple for about two decades.
During the past three years, the tussle has often assumed violent overtones with frequent clashes between them over the issue.
Bureau Report