Trouble began after in charge of a masjid started construction of a concrete fence around a well in Gudri Bazaar area of Kotwali police circle. The well is a disputed property with two local groups staking claim and the case is presently in court which has directed that status quo should be maintained at the property.
Saturday's clashes started after a few people led by municipal councilor Vijay Anand tried to prevent the construction of a structure around the well, around 2pm. "I was pulled by the crowd and received blows on my face and head. In no time, stone-pelting started and about 15 people were left injured," Anand told TOI.
Meerut district magistrate Navdip Rinva said, "I don't think we will need to impose curfew. We have demanded five companies of forces, which are on their way to Meerut. There is no casualty. Those who are injured are being treated."
The agitated mob plundered a jewelry store in Bajaja Bazaar and ransacked a sweet shop in Teer Gran. The mob also torched the motorcycle of a local Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Piyush Tayal, who had gone to resolve the issue. The area where trouble began has a mixed population of Hindus and Muslims.
Shops downed shutters as rioting and bullet shots rent the air. The district magistrate and senior superintendent of police arrived in the area, but the crowds had gone berserk.
Two cameramen were injured, and the cameras of two other photographers were broken.
Rioting spread also to the Ghanta Ghar area, and a motorcycle was burnt there. With police forces on election duty, there is a shortage of security personnel.
Amit Jain, a resident of Teer Gran, said "the ancient well is public property, under the possession of the nagar nigam. In 1982, a permanent police picket was deployed there because Muslims would take possession of the well from time to time, as it was near the masjid. The police picket was removed two years ago."
Haji Akram, another resident of Teer Gran, said "we were installing a temporary water cooler here and a gate was being installed to safeguard it. A big crowd gathered and objected to installation of the cooler."
Two young men who received bullet injuries are being treated at KMC Hospital. Sanjiv Verma, Hospital in-charge of KMC, said, "One received a gunshot in the thigh, and the other in the hip. They are being operated on." Two others, who were wounded, have been admitted to the LLRM Medical College.
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