3 killed in communal violence in India’s Rajasthan state

At least three persons were on Wednesday killed in a clash between two communities at Bharatpur in Rajasthan state, over a land dispute, District Collector Krishna Kunal said. Kunal said curfew was imposed in the area in view of tension after the clash erupted in the morning when some members of Gujjar and Muslim communities confronted each other over a land dispute. They pelted stones and exchanged fire, pti reported. He said curfew has been imposed in Pahadi, Jurera, Gopalgarh, Kaman, Sikri and Nagar areas. Additional forces have been requisitioned from Jaipur and other neighbouring districts to bring the situation under control, Divisional Commissioner Rajeshwar Singh said. According to police, alleged incorrect entry of land meant for digging a pond as a graveyard in government records by a local patwari was the cause of the clash. 'Gujjars were opposed to it and claimed that the land was never meant for graveyard. The matter is sub-judice but some youths from both the sides entered heated arguments and scuffled yesterday in which two persons were injured. Today, they once again clashed and the situation worsened later,' a police official said. Additional DG (Law and Order) Navdeep Singh said in Jaipur that additional forces and senior officers have been rushed to Bharatpur. Meanwhile, Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has called a high-level meeting to review the situation.