Muslim mobs burn shops owned by Sikhs in a dispute over land (India)

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Exclusive: All you want to know about the Saharanpur riots in Uttar Pradesh

By Shikhar Jiwrajka @shikharjiwrajka | July 26, 2014

Violent clashes broke out in Saharanpur in western Uttar Pradesh on Saturday over a land dispute as groups of Muslims and Sikhs clashed on the streets in broad daylight. Authorities imposed curfew in the region to bring the situation under control after two persons were killed and at least 12 others injured in the clashes between the two communities over a land dispute.

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The land dispute over a Gurudwara land in Saharanpur near railway station sparked off the violence. The Gurudwara is adjacent to a huge piece of land which the Sikh community has been taking care of for past so many years. The land has been under dispute for some time already. The land was to witness the ‘lintel’ being dropped today in order to pursue some construction work. The Muslim community alleged that the land belongs to them and there cannot be any construction. The Sikhs defended that the land is adjacent to their Gurudwara and is rightfully theirs since many years.

A witness in Saharanpur said that angry mob targetted shops owned by Sikh community ... Over two dozen shops and vehicles were gutted. A dozen people have been arrested for inciting violence over the land dispute.