A village in the Sambhal district of Uttar Pradesh is witnessing a mass exodus of people from a minority community after several of their houses were burnt down late on Thursday night, May 11. Reports state that a few of their houses were also looted the same night.
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The other families of the minority community have packed their belongings and fled the village.
The Nandoli village of the Gunnaur area has come alive with communal tension after a Muslim man eloped with a married Hindu woman on May 9.
The enraged family of the married woman constrained the boy's mother in their house for one entire night. Though she was let go in the morning on May 10, violence erupted in the village as the news of the elopement reached other villagers. The villagers torched the houses of the minority community.
Meanwhile, on Thursday, some people damaged a motorcycle belonging to a member of another community.
Though both the families have lodged FIRs, the woman's family has claimed that the boy has kidnapped her. The two of them are still missing.
According to local media reports, the minority community has blamed the Provincial Armed Constabulary and the police for the violence that was raging in the village.
The security has been tightened in the village and many security personnel have been deployed in the area. "No one will be allowed to vitiate law and order," said a police officer.
The UP Police in an official statement said on Friday that they have already arrested six persons in regard to this issue.
