Indian troops deployed to quell Hindu-Muslim riots following killings in Uttar Pradesh
Death of villagers who defended woman from harassment sparks Hindu-Muslim dispute
Hundreds of troops have been deployed to quell deadly riots and clashes between Hindus and Muslims sparked by the killing of three villagers who had objected when a young woman was being harassed in northern India.
Police said 19 people were killed, including an Indian journalist, a police photographer and several people who yesterday succumbed to injuries received a day earlier when the two groups fought with guns and knives in Kawal village, in Uttar Pradesh.
The violence quickly spread to neighbouring villages in Muzaffarnagar district on Saturday night.
"A curfew has been imposed in three riot-hit areas of Muzaffarnagar," said the head of the state's home ministry, R.M. Srivastava. "The situation is still very tense, but under control."
Soldiers were going door-to-door to search for weapons. A high alert was declared for the entire state of Uttar Pradesh, which has a population of 200 million people.
The clashes broke out on Saturday after thousands of Hindu farmers held a meeting in Kawal to demand justice in the August 27 killing of three men who had spoken out when a woman was being verbally harassed.
The state's minority welfare minister, Mohammad Azam Khan, said some at the meeting gave provocative speeches calling for Muslims to be killed.