Ram Navami clashes: One dead, several injured; over 60 arrested across three states

The nine-day Chaitra-Navratri celebrations came to an end on Thursday as the festival of Ram Navami was joyfully observed throughout the nation. Amid the celebrations, incidents of clashes involving stone pelting and arson were reported in a few states across the country including West Bengal and Gujarat.

West Bengal

Clashes broke out between two groups during the Ram Navami celebrations in the Howrah region of West Bengal. Following this, several vehicles were set on fire and local stores were ransacked. According to the police, the incident occurred when the procession passed through the Kazipara locality. Officials have been deployed in the area to prevent the conflict from escalating further. As per the police, 36 people have been arrested in connection with the Howrah clashes.

Meanwhile, another incident of stone-pelting was reported from Howrah on Friday, a day after arson on Rama Navami. Security have been beefed up by the police in the area as situation continue to remain tensed there.

Gujarat

Violence also erupted in Gujarat's Vadodara on Thursday when stones were hurled at two Ram Navami processions in sensitive areas of the city. According to the police, stones were pelted at two separate Ram Navami processions when they were passing through the areas of Fatehpura and nearby Kumbharwada. Two people have been reportedly injured in these incidents. 

Vadodara Police Commissioner Shamsher Singh said the situation in the city is under control and they have detained 24 people so far in connection with the Vadodara violence.

Maharashtra

Following an altercation between two groups near a temple, a crowd of about 500 people went wild and threw stones and bottles filled with petrol, injuring at least 12 people, including 10 cops, in Kiradpura locality of Sambhaji Nagar, Maharashtra. One person also died in the clash. Police have arrested six people following the violence in which 13 vehicles were torched by the miscreants during the intervening night of Wednesday and Thursday.

On the other hand, in Mumbai's Malvani area, two groups indulged in a scuffle during the Ram Navami Procession on Thursday night. The incident occurred at Malvani in suburban Malad (West) when a Rama Navami 'Shobha Yatra' was happening and some people objected to the loud music. Reportedly, people were seen pelting stones, which created panic and caused one person to sustain injuries. As many as 20 people have been detained in the Malvani clash.

(With inputs from agencies)