Bhopal, Feb. 3: A year after a communal riot and two days after a voluntary Muslim moratorium on cow slaughter, violence broke out in Gunj Basauda over the alleged killing of a bull during Id.

Seo village of Gunj Basauda, 80 km north of Bhopal, flared up this morning when residents discovered the dead bull, with its ears and throat apparently slit open by a sharp weapon. The bull, called Nadia locally, was said to be marked with a religious symbol as a tribute to Lord Shankar.

Tempers rose immediately and rumour mills worked overtime, bringing in large crowds that mainly consisted of “outsiders” from Gunj Basauda and Vidisha.

By noon, a local madarsa had been targeted as an unruly crowd tried to set it on fire. Police intervened and prevented further damage.

Curfew was clamped on Seo village at 1 pm after a 1,000-strong mob attacked district collector Hari Singh Shekhawat. His car was damaged.

Police officials said 13 people injured in the group clashes have been arrested. Seven were from the minority community and the rest from the majority community, they added.

According to state intelligence officials, five shops in the village were torched. There were conflicting reports on whether all the shops belonged to the minority community. Local police said only three belonged to that community.

On Sunday, the Jamiat-e-Ulema had appealed to Muslims not to slaughter cows in states where it is banned but allowed sacrifice of sheep, goat and camel.

A year ago, there was large-scale violence in Gunj Basauda following an incident of cow slaughter. Several shops were torched, prompting then chief minister Digvijay Singh to impose community fine on all the accused named in the police FIR.

Soon after taking over, chief minister Uma Bharti withdrew the measure alleging that it “reeked of feudal mindset”.

Gunj Basauda is part of the Vidisha Lok Sabha seat represented by BJP general secretary Shivraj Singh Chauhan. The local MLA is Raghavji, who is the state finance minister.