KERALA NEWS

Religion: Three killed, 13 hurt in Shia-Sunni violence (NIGHT LEAD)

Monday, February 21, 2005

[Religion News]: Lucknow,Three people were killed and 13 critically injured in Shia-Sunni clashes in this Uttar Pradesh capital on Muharram Sunday.

Curfew has been clamped in the Thakurganj police circle, while heavy deployment and intensive patrolling by the anti-riot Rapid Action Force was being carried out in all neighbouring areas that are considered volatile.

"We had to clamp curfew as both sides seemed to be bent upon violence," district magistrate Aradhana Shukla told IANS.

The district administration has closed all schools and colleges for two days as a precautionary measure.

Each of the victims had suffered gunshot injuries, pointing to the use of firearms.

"We are going to maintain a strict round-the-clock vigil in the entire old city which has a sizeable population of both Shias and Sunnis", Shukla said.

"We are hopeful that better sense will prevail and people will not indulge in any more violence," she added.

Widely respected Maulanas from both sides have issued appeals to members of their respective sects to maintain peace and harmony, even as the police launched a hunt for the mischief-mongers.

Violence erupted in the Hussainabad area around 11 a.m. when a 'Tazia' procession was being taken out by Shias. The clash culminated in a free-for-all, with both sides indulging in stone throwing and arson, setting ablaze several vehicles parked on the roadside. A few shops were also attacked.

According to police, a group of Sunnis objected to what they termed as "anti-Sunni recitations" by Shias during the course of their Muharram procession.

They tried to physically prevent the Shias from marching through the Sunni-dominated Muftiganj locality, which sparked off violence. Shortly thereafter, clashes spread to the neighbouring Ramganj locality

Traditionally, Lucknow was known for clashes between the Shia and Sunni Muslim sects, particularly over the route of Shia Tazia processions during Muharram. After a bloody clash in the 1980s, the processions were banned for over a decade-and-a-half.

These were resumed in 2000 after a formal agreement between the two sides.

Local Muslims were of the view that the recent decision of the Shias to constitute an All India Shia Personal Law Board independent of what they considered a "Sunni dominated" 32-year old All India Muslim Personal Law Board had raked up bitterness between the two sides.

Indo-Asian News Service