Violence erupted in a village at Pandav Nagar in east Delhi on Friday afternoon following arguments between two communities over burial of a body in the burial ground located in the village. Several vehicles, including that of policemen, were torched and damaged in the clash where the police was forced to lob tear gas shells and firing in the air to disperse the mob. A huge number of policemen have been deployed at the village to maintain a calm.
A senior police official said that the land belonged to the DDA and both the communities have been requested to approach the DDA and ask it for a clear demarcation of the burial ground and not to take law into their own hands. A local leader also claimed that it was a minor issue, which was blown out of proportion by people who wanted to take advantage of the situation.
According to the police, an 80-year-old man, a resident of Kotla village in Pandav Nagar area, died due to prolonged illness. When his family members took him for burial at the burial ground located in the village, some members of another community objected saying the burial was being carried out at a point very near to their houses. This led to an heated exchange between the members of the two community. Soon, a large number of residents from both the sides gathered at the ground.