Communal tension flared up in Agra today over placing a Shivling on the occasion of Sihvratri today. The incident happened in the Lohamandi area, where some people from the Balmiki Basti were planning to organise Shivratri on a vacant plot, according to reports. But this was being opposed by a family from a nearby colony.

People from Balmiki Basti claim that the plot is owned by a person named Najul from that colony. But this was contested by one Chasmuddin from the Akhada colony, saying 300 square yard of this plot is his ancestral property. Chasmuddin said that he has papers of the land, and termed the organisation of Shivratri at the place a ploy to encroach upon the land.

Despite the opposition, some youths came and placed the idol to celebrate Shivratri on Monday morning at that plot, which was already cleaned up in advance by them. But this was opposed by Chasmuddin’s side, and soon verbal arguments led to a physical fight between the two sides. Hearing about the confrontation, more people from both the sides arrived and it led to communal conflict in the area, while some persons started pelting stones at the people.

Soon police arrived at the scene to control the situation, but some people continued to fight even in the presence of police, although stone throwers had escaped seeing the police. More police from the nearby Lohamandi, Jagdishpura and Hariparvat police stations were called to contain the violence.

Now police have taken control of the situation and started investigating the case. Police have asked both sides to show ownership documents of the plot, and trying to identify the miscreants who started the fight.