Kanpur, Dec 20 A group of heavily armed men allegedly opened fire, hurled crude bombs and desecrated a statue of Sant Ravidas at a village in Kanpur, the police said.
The incident took place on Tuesday at an event organised by the Dalit community and two persons were rushed to a hospital after sustaining severe injuries in the incident.
Joint Commissioner of police (JCP), Kanpur, Anand Prakash Tiwari, said five people have been arrested and an FIR was registered against eight accused, all from 'upper-caste' communities.
"Police are conducting raids to arrest all the accused named in the FIR. A heavy force of police personnel has been deployed in the village," he added.
One of the accused named in the FIR is Manish Tiwari, the public relations officer of local Apna Dal legislator Saroj Kureel. Kureel was not available for comments.
Pavan Kumar Sankhwar, one of the organisers, said the annual 'Bodh Katha' (readings from Gautam Buddha) began on Monday.
"People who were upset with the event launched a planned attack. Those who were sleeping under tents were beaten and the entire set up was vandalised," he said, adding the attackers resorted to "firing" and even hurled some "crude bombs".
"They threatened if the event continued, they would kill everyone involved. They even damaged the statue of Sant Ravidas," said Ram Sagar Paswan, on whose complaint the FIR was registered.
Ghatampur Assistant Commissioner of Police, Dinesh Kumar Shukla, said, "The attackers fled before the police arrived. They have been booked for rioting, vandalism, dacoity and attempt to murder, and also charged under the provisions of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act."
Local upper-caste residents said the event had become a source of contention between communities last year too.
Chandra Bhan Mishra, who is named in the FIR, had filed a complaint with Ghatampur Sub-Divisional Magistrate on December 16, alleging that an effigy purportedly depicting Brahmins was supposed to be displayed at the event before being dragged across the village.
The JCP, however, said they did not find any provocative material.
The Bhim Army has started a protest at the Katha site with the locals.
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