A clash between two communities in Kabatta village of Kharkhauda area of Meerut district over a minor dispute turned violent on Wednesday, causing injuries to a man and a woman.
The Jat and Jatav communities of Kabatta village clashed over payment of electricity bill, which led stone pelting and firing of bullet shots, said police.
Claiming that the situation was now under control, Superintendent of Police (Rural) Avinash Pandey confirmed injuries to a woman and a retired Armyman. FIRs have been registered on complaints lodged by both sides. The SP said investigations were on, adding that an empty cartridge was recovered from the site.
According to the police, the dispute started between a villager, Shivam Choudhary, and Sonik Jatav, a lineman in the electricity department, over payment of electricity bill. Shivam had given Rs 15,000 to Sonik to pay his electricity bill.
On Tuesday, when Shivam asked Sonik to give him the bill receipt, he realised that it had not been paid yet. After he scolded the lineman, Sonik and a few of his friends allegedly attacked Shivam. This came into the notice of some village elders who intervened and tried to settle the matter.
Both communities calmed down for a day but the supporters of both sides came face to face again on Wednesday night. They pelted each other with stones, used wooden staff and also firearms.
After news of the violence reached the Kharkhauda police, a team arrived there. The situation was soon brought under control as the police dispersed the crowd and arranged for the injured to receive medical aid.
“We have deployed additional force in the village to avert any further clash between the two groups,” said the SP.
Local villagers said the rivalry between the Jat and Jatav communities had been a long-standing one in Kabatta. According to them, the original dispute was over a ration shop in the village, which was shifted to a neighbouring village on the complaint of the Dalit community.