LUCKNOW, Oct 17 (Reuters) - Indian authorities turned away trains from a northern town on Monday to prevent people from travelling there after clashes between Hindus and Muslims killed seven people and wounded 33.

The violence in Mau, 282 km (175 miles) east of the Uttar Pradesh state capital, Lucknow, erupted on Friday after minority Muslims protested against a Hindu procession passing through their part of the town.

The town was peaceful on Monday but authorities said they feared attacks on people travelling in trains to the area. Trains have often been targetted in communal violence in India.

"All trains have been diverted to avoid any kind of attack by rioters," railway official Amitabh Lal said.

Mau is close to the flashpoint town of Ayodhya, where the razing of a mosque in late 1992 by Hindu zealots sparked nationwide religious riots that killed 3,000.

Hundreds of extra police have been deployed in Mau, a town of 1.4 million people of which about 16 percent are Muslims.

"We are keeping our fingers crossed as some people are apparently trying to fuel violence," government official Alok Sinha said.