Communal tension eases at Kutch village after murder accused arrested; heavy security in place

Bhuj (Gujarat): Police have nabbed a man wanted in connection with a murder that led to a communal clash in Madhapur village in Gujarat's Kutch district even as heavy police deployment remained in the area to avoid any untoward incident, officials said on Saturday.

A group of members from a community attacked and vandalised shops and a place of worship of another social group on Friday evening in Madhapar, located just four km away from the 'Smriti Van' memorial for earthquake victims, which will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday.

Police had said people from the Rabari community from Madhapar on the outskirts of Bhuj were angry at the murder of a youth identified as Paresh Rabari who was allegedly stabbed to death by one Suleman Sana on Friday morning amid a quarrel.

"We rounded up Suleman Sana on Friday evening and will arrest him in the due course after questioning. The situation has eased after the accused was taken into police custody," said Madhapar police station inspector Karansinh Vihol.

He said teams of the State Reserve Police (SRP), Quick Response Team (QRT) and local police remain stationed in the affected area.

Members of the Rabari community had staged a protest outside the hospital and refused to accept Paresh's body until the accused was arrested.

They, however, accepted the body after Sana was picked up.

While returning from the last rites of Paresh on Friday evening, an angry mob vandalised shops and a place of worship.

The brother of the deceased lodged a First Information Report (FIR) on Friday afternoon at Madhapar police station.