A man was killed for protesting against the desecration of a mosque in the communally sensitive Mau district of Uttar Pradesh, triggering tension in the area.
According to police sources, the incident happened in Nasirpur village late on Thursday.
Unidentified people barged into the village mosque and threw a bag inside, which later turned out to be meat, the police said.
Two elderly people living close to the mosque stopped the men and asked what they threw in.
One of the vandals pulled out a pistol in response and shot at the 70-year-old. The victim was taken to a hospital in Varanasi, but succumbed on Friday morning.
As the news of the death spread, a mob gathered at the village and raised slogans against the police and the local administration.
Two suspects were detained, police said, adding that a hunt has been launched to nab the other culprits.
Police said security personnel had been deployed in full strength at the village and senior officials had reached the spot to monitor the situation.
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