Shops damaged, stones pelted in Gujarat village over social media post; 60 detained

The situation is under control, the police official said without giving details of any injuries caused due to the clash.

Ahmedabad: A group of minority community members damaged several shops and vehicles and hurled stones at a village in Gandhinagar district following an objectionable social media post, police said on Thursday.

Police have detained around 60 persons from Bahiyal village under Dehgam taluka for the clash and rioting that took place there late Wednesday night, officials said.

Four shops and five to six vehicles were damaged in the attack, they said.

"A social media post by a Hindu man on the ongoing trend 'I love Muhammad' enraged the minority community which led to the attack," Gandhinagar SP Ravi Teja Vasamsetty told reporters.

At around 11 pm on Wednesday, a large group broke the shutters of a shop belonging to the person who had put up a status on WhatsApp, which enraged the minority community members. They took out goods from his shop and burnt them, he said.

"The group later hurled stones on Hindu areas. In retaliation, stones were pelted at the group from Hindu areas," the official said.

Heavy police security has been deployed and the situation has been brought under control, he said.

"Four shops and five to six vehicles were damaged," Assistant Superintendent of Police Ayush Jain told reporters.

"We have detained 60 persons, and others involved in the violence are being identified," Jain said.