New Delhi: Police in Gujarat have arrested more than 200 people after violence between Hindus and Muslims, a senior officer said on Monday.
The clashes in the western city of Vadodara were sparked by a distorted image posted on social media that offended Muslims, prompting authorities to block mobile internet and bulk text messaging, the officer said.
Members of the two communities threw stones at each other and set vehicles alight in several days of clashes that started on Thursday, while one person was stabbed.
“We have now arrested over 200 people from both the communities in the last three days,” said D.J Patel, additional commissioner of Vadodara police. Police said on Sunday 40 arrests were made.
“The man, a teacher, who posted the controversial message on WhatsApp has also been arrested,” Patel said.
Gujarat was hit by religious riots in 2002.
Patel said some of the 200 people were detained for taking part in the low-level violence, while others were arrested to prevent further unrest.
He said the city was back to normal on Monday with markets open. Another senior police officer said mobile internet services would remain suspended as a precaution until Tuesday.
One person was stabbed in the unrest, the Press Trust of India news agency has reported, but all of the handful of injuries have been minor.
