SURAT, May 17: At least 15 people were injured, three of them seriously, in clashes in the Sagrampura area of the city on Sunday evening. When reports last came in, the Athwa police had taken six people into custody.Trouble broke out at around 3.40 p.m. on Sunday when a 50-strong mob attacked the house of one Jitu Pratap Kantharia in the Moti Lalwadio area of Sagrampura. The youths pelted the building with stones, damaging the property in the process. Three people received head injuries in the stone-pelting.
Athwa Lines PI A M Jadeja, who is investigating the case, said no stabbing or firing had been reported during the clashes. The situation had been immediately brought under control, he said, adding that no curfew had been imposed.
According to a police complaint filed by Kantharia, the cause of the clashes was an argument that took place at a snacks centre on Ring Road on Saturday night. His opponent threatened him with dire consequences and led the attack on Sunday, he said.
Although no cross-complaint has been filed in this case by the party named, the police have identified 11 people, including a woman, supposed to be involved in the rioting. Six of them have been taken into custody.
Cases have been registered under Sections 143, 147, 148, 149, 307, 452, 337, 427, 294 and 506 of the Indian Penal Code as well as under the Bombay Police Act and Atrocities Act in the Athwa Lines police station.
Jadeja said that almost all of those who had been injured had sustained cutsand gashes from the flying soda bottles and stones.
